The Life and Times of Penelope Ann Mayer
by pasta16
Summary: This tells about Penelope and her mysterious past and relationship with Bentley...prequel to Life and Times of Benjamin Theoadore Key...*redone and edited**OMFG! They're animals! -Jammin Jabala*
1. Chapter 1

**September 1, 2005  
****New York City, New York, USA  
****3:27 AM**

I woke with a start. It was late. I reached for my glasses that laid on the nightstand beside me. As I put them on, the blurry red lines on my LCD clock turned to numbers: 3:28.

I yawned and slowly got out of bed. I heard snoring from the other room, and knew he had fallen asleep at his desk again. I stood up, making my way through the rooms of our apartment. He was passed out, drooling a little on his plans. I could not help but smirk as I reached for a blanket the was balled up on the couch a few yards from him. "Shows you for staying up for hours on end running only of coffee, handsome." I whispered, pulling a blanket over top of him.

In his deep sleep, the turtle sighed, grapping the blanket. I took off his thick-glasses, and lifted his head slightly to move the papers that laid under his head, currently being drenched in saliva. They were the blueprints for his "Non-Operational Vortex Distortion Space and Time Dilating Device" or for short, the god damn time machine. After a long day of non-stop working, the blueprints showed little progress. He had working on his newest invention for eight months, ever since we finished rebuilding the new vault, and he had found Sly safe and sound.

I looked over the plans. All of it made sense to me, but I would have clue what to do next. I was not as good of a strategist as Bentley was, and when he came up with all these new ideas and theorems I had never heard of, he totally lost me. I never could do that; I just kept with improving already made inventions and computer hacking.

Just seeing him asleep at the desk with all the plans for the time machine made me think of how useless I was. I took a seat across from him and just watched him sleep awhile. The soft rhythmic of his breathing comforted me: but, not completely. My thoughts ran wild as I thought of all the stupid and cowardly things I had done. "My whole life, I have been nothing but helpless. People always said I was smart, but next to you...well, I don't even see why you fell for me." I got up and leaned in to kiss the top of his head, "but I am glad you did."

And with that, I left to get more sleep myself, still fresh with memories of my past.


	2. Chapter 2

**June 26, 1998  
****East Hampton, New York, USA  
****10:23 AM**

"Ugghhh" I groaned as the sun landed on my head. It was a wondrous sleep, and the damn flimsy curtains had failed me. Summer Vacation had just started, and I was finally getting used to sleeping in. But of course, my mother had to redecorate my room with the worst type fabric. I tossed the pillow over-top of my head, trying to fall back asleep. Then I remembered.

I bolted up. "Damndamndamndamn." I jumped out of bed, heading into my closet. "Sure Penelope, I'll get up extra early tomorrow morning to get ready for the party. I mean, I would never sleep in on the day of the biggest party of the summer." I lectured myself, angrily. "I'm gonna be late, and Andrew is gonna be mad....AND I CAN'T FIND MY OUTFIT!" My closet was filled top to bottom with the latest fashions, and plenty of swimwear, yet I needed that bikini. It was made for me, and I wanted to show it off today. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!"

"Right here, babe." I froze when I heard him. I stuck my head out of my closet, seeing him ready to party the day away. He started laughing, as he stood in the doorway of my room. His name was Andrew, my one and only true love. A White Bengal Tiger, muscular and thin, standing around 6 foot. He had these amazing black eyes that shined in the light. Everyone wanted him, yet he was all mine.

"Shut it. Now help me look. It is hot pink with white swirls." I stared angrily. I had no time to be embarresed.

"Hmm...seems someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. How are you not ready yet? Your always the one hassling me to get ready so we are on time." He said with another laugh. I through a shoe at him, which of course he ducked, but he did decide to help me look around rather then mocking me.

"Thanks Andrew. Your such a sweetheart." I said sarcastically. I started looking under a few of last spring's blouses, when I felt him staring at me. And sure enough, when I stood up, he was. "What?"

"It looks like you tore apart this room for hours, yet not a single hair was out of place." He smiled and laughed again.

"Jeez, I don't have time for you comments." It was true though. I had a natural talent to look perfect, even when I was in the middle of a major crisis. "I just need to find my bikini, then we will go."

"Fine, fine." Andrew only took a few steps into my closet, when he got this weird look on his face. It was a mixture of fear, disgust, and irritation. He was staring, but not at me this time, and started to walk farther into the closet. I almost died when I saw the shiny metal.

"Andrew, it is not what it seems. It is just an old toy." But it was to late. He bent down to pick up the half-finished RC car. I hadn't seen that damn thing in a year, but I knew he wouldn't believe me. He would think I had been lying to him, and working on those stupid inventions of mine. I cursed myself for not getting rid of those things sooner. Now, right before the party, he was going to yell at me.

"Penelope..." he stopped but then looked down at the RC car that was clearly in the middle of being built, and started again, this time yelling. "Christ Penelope! I love you but you have to stop. Why bother building this crap when you can just buy one!" He dropped the car into the waste basket and grabbed my hands. I refused to look at him, but I knew he was looking at me with his lovable eyes. He started yet again in almost a whisper. "Look, Penelope. It is summer vacation. I am just saying that by the start of Junior year this September, you need to grow up and stop playing with these toys. You know your mom hates when you do it. It doesn't make any sense that you do this when you can have anything you want at a snap of a finger."

**..........................**

That was the problem. My whole life, I could get anything I wanted. I grew up the child of the man that started the coffee store, Starbucks. My whole life I lived in the Hampton's, a rich snuck-up neighborhood filled with big houses and bigger egos, and cottages all around the world in Japan, China, France, England, and so many other countries. I had a older brother, about two years older, that would take over the company, so I never had to worry about owning Starbucks. From the beginning of my life, all that was expected from me was to marry some rich guy. Unfortunately, as my mother found out quickly that I had a curse.

I was beautiful. As a small baby, my picture was put all over the world. All types of PR magazines wanted to buy the pictures of me in the outfits my mother would buy. When I was three, doctors told my mother I would need glasses. After weeks of fighting with the doctor, the doctor gave in, and made a special pair of contacts for children. She didn't want the metal frames to "ruin the cuteness".

When I was 5, I went to pre-school and the teachers noticed right away I had a knack for reading and math, along with putting together puzzles and using a computer. She put a stop to it. As a five year-old-child, she told me that I was blonde, and need to keep up with a certain reputation. Whenever she saw me with a book, I was yelled at. If I was ever overheard asking how something works, I was yelled at. I was to look cute and was to play dumb for the cameras.

During the second grade, boys my age got over girls having cooties, always wanting to play with me and help me with whatever I needed. More pictures were sold to magazines of the cute young heiress and her "many admires." My mother was happy, and I was getting better at tricking her. I learned one little pout would get any guy to come over my house with a book or two under his shirt that I could read in the middle of the night. The books were easy enough to hide among the thousands of clothing my mother would buy to keep me as "cute as possible."

That year, we got a new neighbor. My mother and father were happy to have a new neighbor in the Hampton's. At the time I didn't notice the man of the house or his wife. All I saw was this White Bengal tiger cub, as cute as can be, just my age. His name was Andrew and his parents were Albert and Tripper Gore.

We became fast friends, me and Andrew. Andrew loved how I would read big books and get this adorable face while reading. We would always take our nannies and go to each other's vacation cottages. Whenever we went, we would always end up taking a plane. Andrew was always scared of height and tried to sleep the entire time, but I loved to fly. Just that feelings of defying gravity was an amazing rush and soaring in and out of clouds was just wonderful.

As I got older, me and Andrew became more then just friends, but as we did, he tried to get me to stop reading all those books or trying to fix a toaster. He tried to make me stop because he didn't want to see me get in trouble with my mother. My brother, Peter, always said he didn't want a girlfriend that was smarter then him, but I ignored him. I swear, he was so jealous of me sometimes.

She was a puppet master, her own family, were her puppets. Peter, my older brother was pushed to look like a smart individual that could easily take care of the business. The collages he would attend, and even possible wives were picked by her. She though, that with her daughter, pretty, sweet, sincere, and all-around lovable would make a brilliant woman, but only with her help. I would finish high school in the "suggestive" clothing she bought me. I would go to a 4-year Ivy League collage majoring in Art. After that, I would come back home and learn to be the prefect wife. I would then help Andrew, my husband, get ready to be a Senator. We would have 3 children, two boys and one girls, thanks to genetic engineering. Then, Andrew, with a loving wife and children by his side would run and win the 2020 Presidential Election. He would be the President that our county needs and I would be the First lady that everyone looked up too. We would then later settle down in a county home and live the rest of our lives in solitude with each other. Her master plan, but I was happy to play dumb and go along with it, as long as I was with Andrew.

**....................**

I thought about all of this as Andrew held my hands. I had a huge head-ache and just wanted to sleep, but it was my "duty" to go the beach party. "I promise, no more." I smiled at him, I had given up everything to be with him: my hobbies, my interests, and my life. But it was worth it.

"Good." he whispered in my ear and then we kissed. Long, hard, and passionate. "So, seeing we may never find the one single bikini your looking for, I saw this adorable one in a store a few days ago that you would look brilliant in. We can pick it up before the beach parties. Now get dressed into something so we can go get it." He added with a smile. I look down, seeing was only in a pair of shorty-shorts and a pink wife-beater. Bed-time attire chosen by my mother of course.

"Well, I may need a little help." He smiled, helping me out of my bedroom attire.

**.....................**

"Christ Penelope, you skank. You make all of us look like mere peasants." I laughed, as my best friend commented me on my outfit. Me and Laruie, had been friends since kindergarten, and since both of us were mice and the same size, we shared clothing and accessories. Of course, I looked much better in anything that both of us wore. Magazines always commented on how much better I looked, rather then her.

"Why, thank you slut." I commented back, and we gave quick pecks on each other's cheeks while we laughed.

"My, my Andrew. You are looking irresistible today." Laurie said with a small, playful growl.

"Hands off, he's mine." I replied playfully, grabbing onto his arm.

"Now, now ladies. Plenty of Andrew to go around." He smiled down at me, as the three of us headed onto the beach, the party already in full swing. Through out the day, and most of the night, the party went on, filled with dancing, tanning, and gossip. Cameras followed me and Andrew all night, and we gave our usual fake smiles and waves, while making fun of them for having no life.

Through out the day, which was even worse then the media, was all the girls glowering at me and the guys dumbfounded when they looked at me. I smiled, knowing every guy wanted me, and every girl wanted to be me. Andrew saw this too, and was more then happy to make them even more jealous. Constant makes outs and groping made the constant glares from the girls even more harsh.

But was even better was that they had to be my best friends. It was law that I was the alpha, and they did as I told.

The bon fire was dying down, when Andrew whispered into my ear. ***Flash**Flash*** "Ready to go, hottie?"

I snuggled deeper into his arm. "I guess if we must." ***Flash***

He smirked. ***Flash*** "I was wondering, maybe we could disappear to Paris for a few days. My dad just put in a new hot tub for our cottage in France." ***Flash**Flash***

"That sounds like fun." I said with a smile. ***Flash**Flash**Flash**Flash***Not taking my eyes off of him, I whispered "If one more camera goes off, I'm going to hurt someone." ***Flash**Flash**Flash**Flash**Flash**Flash***

"Come on, lets get outta here." ***Flash**Flash**Flash***

We took off, followed by the annoying flashing lights. Andrew kept his arm around me, shielding me from the bright, obnoxious lights. It was perfect in his arms, and I knew he was the guy for me. Forever and ever.

**_______________________**

Hi...thz for reading and I hope you like it so far....

Sorry for the really long explanation, but it will get better...

Thz again for anyone that comments, anonymous and users like slylady345


	3. Chapter 3

**September 1, 2005  
****New York City, New York, USA  
4:17 AM**

I laid in bed, just thinking to myself. Bentley was snoring as loud as ever. When I first left to go back to bed, he had stopped for a minute or two, and I was afraid I had woken him. But no sooner had it stopped, did it start again. Hmmm...he must have tried to work on the plans and was so exhausted he fell right back to sleep.

When I was younger, my brother Peter, would do the same thing. He would be in the middle of playing one of his videogames, fall asleep, and then wake minutes later and try to play again. Then he would fall back asleep instantly. I laughed a little, then sighed. I really miss him, I thought as I curled up into a ball and fell asleep myself.


	4. Chapter 4

**June 26, 1998  
****East Hampton, New York, USA  
****11:23 PM**

"Dead girl walking!" I heard it across the hall as I went to my room after the party. Great, I thought, if he heard the fight earlier, mother did too. I stuck my head into his room, seeing him reading a "forbidden" comic book. He was a mouse like me, but had dark brown fur, like my father. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater vest with a pair of glasses. Even though he much rather be wearing a ratty old t-shirt, he was forced to dress up in what my mother wanted. The funniest part was, he didn't even have to wear glasses.

"What you mean, Peter. I didn't do anything wrong." I stuck my tongue out at him. He was really into his comic, and didn't even bother to look up when he sighed. He had been acting this way for ages now. It was getting old, real fast. "What?" I asked angrily.

"I don't like how you have been acting lately, Fee." He said, not bothering to look up from his comic.

"Woah, what?!?!?! This is like, AHHH, oh my god!!! You're the one that started me on building the RC car now I'm getting yelled at by you!!! What does everyone what me to change who I am!!!" I screamed. Out of all people, he should understand. He was mad that I had built an RC car ages ago. He was the one that snuck me all the pieces and books. He was the one that made me work on his motorcycle in the middle of the night ages ago. He was the one that made me help him out when he had to act like the "smart one" ages ago. And now, he was being a total hypocrite.

He then threw a pillow at me, and stood up, glaring down at me. The comic fell to the ground, and he just stared at me before exploding. "Do you realized you just sounded exactly like mom! You even fucking look like her when she was your age!" He just glared at me. He wasn't mad that he thought I had been working on my RC car; He was mad that he knew I hadn't been working on it.

I had been acting like a spoiled brat for awhile now. When was the last time I read a book, or even thought about my poor little RC car. I loved it, yet with "this life" I had to put away all of my hobbies, and be the princess. Looking across the room at a mirror, I saw I was wearing exactly what my mother would want me to wear. Skimpy bikini with a piece of fabric around my waist with a 200 dollar pair of glasses seating on my flawless hair. Mine tail hung, curled at the end since it was the in thing to do with it. My face was covered in make-up and my eyes were bright blue, not obstructive by glasses. In the hot pink tot-bag on my shoulder was an outfit I picked to go shopping with Andrew: a too short mini-skirt and a way to tight pink top.

She were all changing me, and I was letting it happen. I would always try to find ways around mother to work on my RC cars and read about everything I could get my hands on. Lately, I had been more worried about getting my picture in magazines, or hanging with Andrew 24/7 like a lost puppy dog. I had been happy to being the puppet, but I was losing who I really was.

"Mhm, starting to realize it, Miss 'OMG my hair isn't perfect'." That was all he had to say. He knew from experience that you only needed to pretend to do what "they" wanted. He was supposed to be the young, quiet, focused young man heading off to collage in the fall. He was supposed to read with all his time and be the brilliantly smart one. His room mirrored what he was supposed to do. A neat organized walk-in closet, the latest computer, and so many books. Me and Peter would always hang out in his room, so I could read book after book and teach him to actually use his extremely expensive computer, yet even after all those lessons, he only knew how to turn it on. But I could hack my way into any government website with that brilliant machine.

When was the last time we hung out in here? I thought.

"About a year, since you and Andrew started going steady and he started changing you." he said, as if he could read my mind.

"A whole year? No way; It couldn't have been that long. And Andrew is not changing me!" I replied. Then of course I had to stop and think about it. Peter was right, well about half right.

"Headache?" he asked, when I sat on the bed. Peter was always warning me to be true to myself. Don't ever change your self. You born a genius, not a ditzy blonde. Invent and build; it is clearly what you are meant to do in life. But my mother was changing me, not my Andrew.

"A small one. You sure have given me a lot of lectures over the years." He laughed and put his arm around me. We sat there awhile. Him and Andrew was the only ones I had meet in this damn town that loved me for who I was. And unfortunately, Andrew doesn't want me to act like my true self, because he is trying to make me and my mother get along better, and stop the silly fights. But I loved working, making my head spin from all the knowledge. Suddenly, I jumped up and ran to my room. The whole place was spotless. All the clothes were neatly hung up, and all the furniture was moved around. Mother was looking for my tools and other RC cars. Peter showed up behind me.

"Unfortunately, mom took over the whole place looking for any tools. I couldn't stop her." I ran into my walk-in closet and moved the tile that usually hid all my tools, cars, and books. All of it was gone. She had found all of it. I started crying, falling onto the ground.

"If I was more careful, all of it would still be here." Peter sat besides me, arms around me.

He whispered "You know I have been yelled at by her. Doing stupid things instead of reading one of the many books. I have to hide all of my comic books and computer/video games since they are not 'stimulating for the brain'. She found them all once under my bed. She threw them all away like she did with your stuff." I cried harder. Why would one person want to change their own children so much. We didn't do anything wrong. We were just being ourselves. Peter continued, "But when she did it to me, I didn't have an older brother that would jump into the dumpster to grab everything." I looked up and he was smiling.

"Peter, really!?" He grabbed my hand and pulled me back to his room. He got my help to move his dresser where, thanks to my design, was a space to hide all of his comic books and computer games. It was more stuffed then usual. All types of tools, books on RC cars and a bunch of computer programs I designed. A few RC cars along with my greatest one, still only half finished. And of course, since working on my brother's motorcycle and my convertible was a little hard in high heels and a dress in the middle of the night, Peter bought me a pair of overalls when he was shopping for some clothes for himself. Peter promised he would keep it all safe, as long as I would start doing what I loved to do again.

I looked at him, the "smart, sophisticated" one of the family. The one that was to run the family company. I look at the mirror again, and I was the "beautiful, popular" one of the family. The one that would make Andrew "President of these fine United States". I had to find a way to still do that, and work on my inventions. Maybe, once me and Andrew were living together, far, far away from my mother, he would even want to help me build and innovate.

What if everyone found out he just wanted to draw comics for a living and I just wanted to work on cars.

**......................**

**June 27, 1998  
****East Hampton, New York, USA  
****8:23 AM**

It figures this would be the day I wake up early, I said to myself as I got out of bed and headed downstairs for some food. I would have loved some leftover pizza or some Thai food. But that was not on the approved list of food.

So instead I had a cup of grapes and some coffee.

I was starving, and ate all the grapes in seconds. I took a sip of coffee and shuddered. It tasted god awful. I had no clue why the entire world was hyped up on my father's coffee. Starbucks tasted like shit. And right on cue, he came down the stairs, looking rather agitated.

"I told her to have those papers in my inbox by 7 this morning. WHERE ARE THEY!" The tall brown-fur mouse walked into the room, holding up a hand to make sure I didn't say anything to him while he was on the phone. "Well, find her and have her fired. Make sure she never works in this town again." My father was the predictable businessman. Firing another assistant because she had fulfilled her duty as "eye candy". He would never dare have a scandal of sleeping with another woman, since my mother would destroy her puppet. But I never stopped him from looking.

He sighed, finishing his conversation. "It, my dear, is so hard to find good help these days. Hand me a cup of coffee, dear?"

"Sure." I turned around, grabbing a mug and filling it with scum while the rabbit cook brought him a plate of eggs and bacon. He nodded to the cook, barley noticing his existence. "Here." I said, handing him the cup.

He took a deep breath. "Mhm. Nothing like the smell of success in the morning." He opened the paper, and started talking to himself as he read.

"Would you mind if I went to Andrew's cottage in Paris for a few days?"

"Whatever you want dear." He replied nonchalantly, not even looking up from the paper. Jezz, he didn't care what I did not as long as I looked good the paper; Because, whatever made his wife happy, made him happy.

"Thanks." I drained the rest of the coffee, and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. I was almost out of the kitchen, when my mother came in, holding a pile of magazines.

"Well, congratulations on the party last night. You looked phenomenal." I tried not to glare as she placed the magazines on the table.

"You have taught me well." I smiled. The ability to pretend to be someone else is all thanks to you, mother. "Well, I'm off to go work out."

"Good. Work on toning your stomach a little more. One magazine commented on seeing a possible baby-bum, and we don't want those nasty rumors."

"Of course." I left, keeping my composer.

**............................**

**July 4, 1998  
****East Hampton, New York, USA  
****7:58 PM**

Paris was amazing, as always. Me and Andrew went through some pretty amazing museums and restaurants, but what really impressed me was the flyers around town. A new gang, called the Cooper Gang, was making it big in Europe. The mug shots were pretty funny, seeing a motley crew of an hippo, a turtle, and raccoon. They seemed to really get on the nerves of a one Inspector Fox. From what I gathered, they had recently taken a file from her office about the Fiendish Five, and then went after a frog by the name of Sir Raleigh in the Welsh Triangle, and beat him, sending him to jail.

It was pretty cool.

But anyway, it was Saturday night and the birth of our country. The Republican and Democratic Nominees and their families went to Washington, leaving me without a boyfriend. I was board, knowing that once I got my parents to leave, I could spend a night working on my RC car to a new computer program I was coming up with. I stooped int Peter's room, to find the poor mouse struggling and helpless.

"Wow, looking good, big Bro." I laughed at him, who was only half-dressed and trying to figure out how to use a bowtie. He stuck his middle finger at me, growling at the tie at the same time. "Better be nice to me, or I won't help you." He sighed, and I came over to help him with the tie. My fingers quickly tied it.

"This sucks. I hate parties."

"Well, you're the quiet, anti-social one of the family, you need to only go to like 6 parties top per year. Me on the other hand, for the past year, I think I have had to go to about 150 of these damn things." He laughed because he knew it was true. He slid on his jacket and I folded and placed a napkin in the pocket.

"What no Andrew tonight?" He asked joyfully as I moved the dresser. He was so happy that I was spending a Saturday night alone, with out the idiot.

"He had a dinner tonight with his family and other Democratic Presidential Nominees." Just thinking about it made me sad. In only a year and a half, Andrew would be moving to the White House. There was no way Al Gore would lose.

I reached down into the pit, pulling out my own little device. Tiny microphones that could easily be hidden in someone's ear. For as long as I could remember, Peter would go to his bi-monthly party with one in his ear. He would always goof off before a party and draw his own comics. Then came time for the party, and he didn't know any information to "sound smart." With this, I made him sound like the most sophisticated and smart guy in the room with my voice telling him everything from the latest political crap to the rising sport stars. "Hear you go," I handed one to him as he finished tying his shoes.

"Thanks again for this, Fee." Peter was the only one I let call me Fee. He had done it ever since I was born. He smiled, messing up his hair a little to hid the earphone, grabbed the useless glasses, and left to go down stairs to join our parents.

I reached into the pit and pulled out a CD. With it, I started one of my new computer programs, that would be able to put a virus into the CIA computer main-frame if the time were ever needed for me to do it. A perfect Saturday night, if only Andrew was besides me, helping me with the codes. If only he was into this stuff, and not into what my mother thought all the time.

**_________________**

Hey...thz again for all that read

Today I was weeding my grandmother's yard, so over the 3 hours doing it, I have the entire story in my head....also a pair of jeans that Penelope would be very proud of

And thz to my already loyal readers:

Slylady345- she has millions and millions of awesome Sly cooper stories

Penguins Are Teh POWER- check her our for awesome Harry Potter stories

The Good Thief- I suggest reading his _Yo? _Sly Cooper story if your into Scary Movie


	5. Chapter 5

**September 1, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
5:34 AM**

I was fast asleep. Then:

**BOOOOOOOM**

I woke with a start, bolting up and trying to find out what made the noise. I quickly grabbed my glasses, and positioned them onto my face. It was dark, but I saw and heard nothing. My eyes quickly grew accustom to the dark, seeing that on the right side of the bed, was Bentley's wheelchair. "Umm...Bentley?"

"Yes?" I looked over the side of the bed, and there was Bentley, stuck on his back. Yes, exactly like a turtle stuck on his back.

"Can I ask what your doing on the floor, Mr. Key?" I laughed already knowing the answer. He just stared at me, really pissed off. Lately, he would end up falling asleep in his chair when working on the time machine, way after I fell asleep. He would wake up early in the morning, back hurting from falling asleep in the chair, and try to get into bed. Unfortunately, every time he tried to, because of not being able to move his legs easily, it made it difficult to get into the bed without waking me up. Since the first night of him scaring me, and me accidentally kicking him, he had tried to do it without waking me up. He never managed since I was such a light-sleeper, but somehow, this time, he ended up on the floor.

"Will you help me already?" he said sourly as I continued to giggle.

"Sorry." I got off the bed and kneeled beside him, grabbing his hand and around his shell, pulled him up, and we tumbled into bed. He grabbed me and pulled me so that we were both facing the left wall. He fumbled as he took off my glasses, and his own, and put them on the nightstand. He kissed my cheek, and then my shoulder, leaving his head on top of mine. He instantly fell asleep using me as a fuzzy pillow. I smiled, glad that he was finally in bed. He scared me sometimes, when he would work constantly on the time machine, not bothering to stop and take a break.

I thought back as far as I could, and even when I said yes to marry Andrew, I wasn't this happy as I was now, just listening to Benjamin Theodore Key, my boyfriend, breathing.


	6. Chapter 6

**August 12, 1998  
****East Hampton, New York, USA  
****5:27 PM**

It had been nearly two months since the whole ordeal with Andrew and the RC car. We were on our way to this fancy restaurant together. Of course, I wore a skimpy black dress and three inch high heels, praying to get back ASAP so I could change. Andrew was talking and I just nodded and smiled. He didn't really notice I wasn't paying any attention. He just keep talking. And I just keep thinking about once I got home, I would get to do something I have been waiting awhile to do. The half-finished RC car Andrew had found, and my mother "thought" she threw out, was finally finished last night. Unfortunately, I was to tired to sneak out and give it a test drive after finishing it. Now, I was hating myself for not doing it last night. I wanted to test-drive it so badly.

"...and that is why I think the Mets should have beat the Phillies last night. Right, Hon?" He parked his Lexis in the _Le Turanamo _parking lot turning to me.

"Defiantly." I kissed him long enough that he wouldn't ask any more questions about baseball. "Come on, or we will miss our reservation." I said adding a smile.

We walked into the restaurant, as usual, every guys head turned towards me and their jaw dropped. Andrew was always happy to see that he had the girl everyone else wanted. He placed his arm around my waist, and the waiter sat us immediately at a reserved table and went to get us our drinks. We talked about common stuff, but since we were in public, my talk mostly consisted of OMG's and No Way's and Get out of here's. And a lot of laughing. Andrew used to like to talk to me about meaningful things when I could give an actual answer. But that was "bad" so we stuck with his dad's political campaign.

Then the conversation changed completely.

"As always, every pair of eyes are on you. Every guy wanting you." He said, whispering it into my ear and I blushed. But it was odd that he said that. "As you know, we have been the best of friends for years, and have gotten even closer as boyfriend/girlfriend. Now I am asking you to make a promise, that 10 years exactly from today, you will walk down the aisle dressed in white and meet me at the other end. I'll be done with college, and we can move in together. Live a little before we have children. We always knew it would happen, our parents are pretty much forcing us anyway. But I want your opinion if you would spend the rest of your life besides me." he said, as if he had practiced his speech for hours. I was dumbfounded.

I stared at him blankly. Somewhere in that whole speech he pulled out a ring, with a diamond bigger then me. All the thoughts of having my whole life planned came back, but I didn't care. He wanted to be with me. He loved me, and nothing more mattered. The thoughts of my RC car seemed so childish and foolish now. "Yes, I promise." We gazed into each other's eyes as he slipped on the ring, the whole time, the hearts of a million of guys were breaking.

**.......................**

**10:46 PM**

I was sitting on the garden wall, that separated my house, from Andrew's. With all the light pollution, you could hardly see the stars, but I didn't care. I just need to think. I flipped the flower between my fingers, wondering what to do. What if Peter was right? I shook my head, Andrew wasn't like that.

"What you doing all the way up there?"

I looked down, and saw the beautiful tiger below me. "Just looking at the stars." I lied. He jumped up, and sat besides me, wrapping his arms around me. I could not help but smile.

"You look really happy Penelope. Excited?"

"Mhm, in 10 years, I will be Mrs. Andrew Gore." I smiled just thinking about it. Those small words made me forget my dilemma, but only for awhile. Then my gaze landed on the flower in my fingers. I had to tell him. "Isn't it pretty?" I said showing Andrew the flower.

"Jeez, I know your blind, but I didn't know you were color-blind to." He always joked about me wearing contacts. The flower was pink with an orange center, but it was still had a dazzling look to it. "Wait, isn't that a flower from your mom's garden. Those flowers are way more beautiful when they are closed up. Now it just looks silly." He said, grabbed the flower and tried to close up the petals, sneezing from the pollen. He tossed it away. It landed on the ground with a soft thump. From somewhere, I heard a crack, and I was pretty sure it was my heart.

After blowing his nose, he said "That flower really sucks. Whenever it opens it looks ugly and makes up sneeze. I'm surprised you weren't sneezing. It is better when the flower is closed. It looks much more radiant with the pedals closed, the dark pink petals with hot pink tips on them. Anyway, I saw you from my room sitting on the wall. My parents are out tonight if you want to come over. It has felt like forever since we spent some time in my room."

"Yeah, I have just been busy; working on my RC car. I finished it if you want to play with it." I smiled up at him, trying to figure out what he would do. He got that weird look on his face, like when he first found my toy. I dropped my gaze, and stared at the flower crumpled on the ground. "I love you, but I want you to love me."

"Penelope, I do love you...it...it just frustrates me when you do this. I hate it when you do this."

"Then you hate me. This is what I love." I felt tears appear on my face.

"Penelope." He said softly. "This is childish. They are toys, and will not help your future." We just sat there for a minute. I just wanted to run, but he held me too tightly. "It was fun when we were little, but you need to stop. Please."

I wiped my eyes off. "Sorry, I think I just need to get some sleep. It was just so much excitement today. Bye." I pushed him away, and jumped down off the wall, running as fast as I could, away from him.

"I love you, Penelope!" he cried out as I ran toward my house. It was dark so I did not think he saw me run. I jumped into the open library window, and raced to my room. I pulled out some paper and started to write three letters. First one was for my mother and father. The second for Andrew. And the third for Peter. The first two were put in an envelope and placed on the side of my bed. I placed the damn ring into Andrew's envelope.

The clock rang, telling me it was around 12:30 now. Peter, always an early to rise person, would be out at 9 and wouldn't wake until 4 even if a parade was right outside his window. I snuck into his room and pushed the dresser away to reveal the pit. I grabbed all my hidden treasures and placed them in a duffle bag I was carrying. I placed Peter's note in the pit and put the dresser back. The letter I wrote for him was short, and ran through my mind over and over

_Dear Peter,_

_I am so sorry. You were right. I was wrong. I showed him the flower and he told me it was ugly and was better if it was closed up. Then he just tossed it away. Think of it this way, your only going to be stuck with "them" for one more week before you go to collage, then your as free as me._

_And what you were lecturing about earlier today, you better follow your words too. Please find someone you love that likes comics and playing video games, because it hurts when you fall head over heels for someone that only like one part of you, and tries to change the rest._

_Sorry again, _

_Love Fee_

I stood over my brother, who was off to Harvard university in only 8 days. He sleep peacefully. I kissed him on his cheek. "You were always right about him, Peter. Why did you have to be right?" I whispered as I closed the door to his bedroom.

**..........................**

**7:09 PM**

"YOU SAID 'YES' TO THAT IDIOT?!?!?!?" that was all my brother said before falling to the floor. My parents were overjoyed, and so were the Gore's, who were currently in New Mexico. But Peter was another story. "What do you even see in him?"

"He loves me for starters. He would do anything for me..."

"Except let you act like you really are!" I turned away from him. I knew he wouldn't understand. I knew he would be pissed. I started walking out of his room.

He stood up and grabbed my arm. He pulled me into our garden, which was full of flowers my mother had bought from all over the world. He pulled me over to these pink tulips. "You have seen these flowers before right?" I nodded. "Did you know that people used gene slicing to make it so it never opens?"

"What? Why would someone do that to these tulips?"

"No, they are not tulips. I have no clue what they are called, but the gardener told me about them when I was little. He told me scientist made it so they would never open."

"Why though? And what does this have to do with me?"

He rummaged around in the garden, picking one of the closed pink flowers. After a few minutes of him rummaging through the flower bed, he found this flower that kinda looked like a daisy. "Look at the pedals of the two flowers." I looked, and they were the same. The outside part was a dark, beautiful pink. The inside one of the daisy was a bright pink with orange in the center.

"These are the same flowers, right?"

"Yes, most people didn't like the clashing colors on the inside, so they changed them. But the right person feels that they are brilliant flowers when open. Get it yet?"

"I should look for someone that loves the inside of a bright pink and orange flower which really means someone loving me for what I think instead of what I look like?" he nodded.

"I'll think about it." I said with a smile. I grabbed the flower. "Just wait until I prove to you that Andrew loves this flower wide open."

"Penelope, I love you. You are a genius, but that fool only wants you to stay quiet and be his doll, just the same as mother."

"Your wrong. He cares about me, and wants to marry me. And when I tell him I want to work on RC inventions, he will be glad to let me."

I held the flower in my hand. I loved the flower color, and how it looked. I went up to my room, where my phone was ringing. I picked up the cordless phone, hearing the sheer voice of Laurie. "Please tell me everything!"

"Jezz, a little loud there, Laurie. He just told me he wanted to marry me."

"'Just told you'? God, he is the hottie of the year! I would kill for him!"

"Am I going to have to start sleeping with my windows closed?"

"Maybe, skank." we both laughed, as I told her everything. The entire time, she seemed contradicting and angry. That girl was just too jealous of me.

......................

**August 13, 1998**

**Amtrak Train Lines, Unknown**

**5:27 AM**

Andrew was an asshole. He just used me, and I was just realizing this now. So stupid to believe that he actually loved the real me. He just loved that I was high in social standings, pretty, nice, and could help him get where he wanted to go in life. He and my mother were in the same league, working to make me what they felt was best for me.

Hmm, go figure. I looked at my watch. 12 hours ago I was on my way to dinner in a dress thinking about using my RC car later that night. I looked through the train window. Staring back, I saw me, no make-up or fancy hair-do. My long blonde hair was in a braid, and I was wearing a yellow shirt under a pair of baggy overalls showing absolutely no figure what so ever. I just saw an average girl, and I was happy. No guys were staring at me and I could read in peace without the fear of getting yelled at.

I was on my way to Canada, leaving my whole life behind, and unfortunately, the only thing I was upset about was leaving Peter.

___________________________

Yep, chapter 6 done already....and I think I have become obsessed with writing this.....again

Anyway, hope you enjoyed so far.....I'm glad to finally get rid of Andrew....unfortunately we won't be seeing Peter anymore :'[

Thz again to my loyal readers....comments are always welcomed.....and if I have confused anyone, tell me so I can fix it!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

**September 1, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
6:58 AM**

A few hours later, I woke up, to actually stay up. Me and Bentley were still in the same pose. I placed my glasses on looking at the clock. It was only seven, but I could start working on fixing the microwave. When we had first started sleeping together, we would end up actually sleeping and waking up at the same time. Now with him working on the time machine all day and well into 2 or 3 in the morning, he sleeps until noon everyday.

It was fine because he was a very heavy sleeper, unlike me and a lot like Peter, so I could get out of his death grip without waking him. It always surprised me, when I woke up and was literally being strangled by him. He never means it. He always wants to cuddle when he sleeps, not realizing his upper body was probably stronger than Murray's. That chair really changed him in more ways then one, and he, along with Sly and Murray, never noticed. I laughed to myself, remembering looking at photos of the three of them as teens at the orphanage. The only one that looked like he hasn't changed in the past ten years was Sly.

In one particular picture taken right before their first gig. Sly had stopped growing in the 8th grade apparently, and never changed his hair style or fashion sense because he looks the exact same now. He was that quirky raccoon about 5'9", with a smile that made everyone feel that he as up to no good. Murray, only about 6' and looked really weak compared to the extremely muscular 6'7" hippo I knew. And Bentley, so small that he was being picked up by Murray onto his shoulder. Bentley had hated that he was always the smallest, but once he had got a growth spurt and ended up being 6'1" making Sly the smallest, he got into his accident, making him look like the weakest of the three again. I would like to see any of the enemies that called him weak try to get out of this grip, I thought as I started to wiggle out.. After a few minutes of trying to get out of the death grip, I was free.

I walked past the lab, and into the kitchen. A bowl of perfect red apples was sitting on the counter. I hopped on the counter while picking up an apple, and took a bite. My tail swished back in forth under Bentley's shirt and my shorts as I ate and made a mental to-do-list for myself:

_1. Fix the microwave_

_2. Get Bentley to eat something_

_3. Make a few more fake licenses, just in case_

I looked at the apple again.

_4. Call Frankie_


	8. Chapter 8

**October 10, 1998  
****Montréal, Quebec, Canada  
****2:27 PM**

I walked down the outdoor market, looking for some cheap food. It had been about 2 months since leaving, and I was already really low on funds. With buying train tickets, some more clothes including a second-hand coat to keep warm up here in Canada, parts for a new RC helicopter I was building, as well as extras for my RC car. Even if I saw Peter, he would never realize it was me, I smiled as I walked past a merchant selling mirrors noticing myself in the refection. My first pair of glasses were bigger then me. They were round with some type of aluminum metal surrounding them. The guy at my first job had a donation box for used glasses, and I just couldn't help myself from taking a pair just to help change my appearance. I was glad to get rid of the contacts I had been forced to wear since I was an infant.

I fit in really well in Canada. It was the middle of October and already freezing, so everyone was bundled up, most carrying all of their positions with them. Like me, they were looking for odd jobs and a place to stay for a day or two. My new alibi, Penelope Ann Mayer, was supposedly 19. I was a mechanic from New Jersey, just "traveling the world" before going to collage to get an Engineering degree. My dad was an accountant, and my mom was an interior decorator. I had an older brother, Peter Mayer, who drew comics for a living. I would help people at their garages, fixing their cars or motorcycles, and in turn I would get money or a place to stay.

Compared to my old life, sleeping on the floor of some random person's garage was heaven.

As I continued walking, I noticed a guy, really bundled up in clothes and carrying a huge back, stealing some apples. Unfortunately, the manager noticed, too. "COPS!!! THEIF!!!" he cried as loud as he could. The guy started to run, apples still in hand. I snuck into the shadows. I thought about it. I can't help him. I can't help him. I can't help him. I can't help him. I can't help him.

I gave up my mental battle with myself, and jumped onto a low rising roof, taking out my newly finished RC helicopter. Staying low so no one saw me, I brought the helicopter down, scaring the hell out of the cops. They stopped, and looked at it, thinking of whether to shot it down or hit it. I jumped down as the boy ran past and I pulled him into the alley. The cops, distracted with the copter, and thankfully didn't notice him go into the alley. They passed, thankfully not choosing to hurt my new toy, and when on looking for the kid.

I guided the helicopter back without anyone noticing and stuffed it into my duffle bag. I started to go out of the alley, when the boy followed me. I stopped and turned to face him. "What?"

"You kinda saved me from those fuckin' cops....Why?"

"Not sure why...I just did." I shrugged, turned, and walked away. Guess who followed. If he was going to follow, I might as well get him out of the town, so the police didn't see him again.

We just walked along this dirt road heading out of twon. I looked at him. He was a sloth, and couldn't have been much older then me. He had this short, curly brown hair and these brilliant hazel eyes. He was wearing a pair of well worn jeans and an old jacket with a backpack over his shoulder. He went into his bag, and pulled out two juicy, red apples. I was wondering what had happen to them. "Want one?" he asked offering me an apple. I grabbed it.

"Thank you." I smiled.

He stared at me for a second. "Wow, you have an amazing' simile." I turned away from him blushing. Apparently, I looked angry when he said it, and tried to apologize. "Um...sorry. I didn't mean to offend you? You from England or something'?" he stared at me.

"England?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, you know. They have bad teeth. If you have good teeth, they must have shunned you or something'."

"You're an idiot, you know that." I laughed and he joined in too. "My name is Penelope, and I am from New Jersey." I said reaching out my free hand.

"Frankie." he smiled back at me shaking my hand. "Well...you gonna tell me why you saved me. Is it because you think I'm cute?" He said with a huge grin.

"No. I just wanted a chance to test out my maneuvering on my RC helicopter," I replied, but he look upset. I added, "You are pretty cute though." We laughed some more. We started talking about the most random of things, when behind us, a sudden loud rumbling sound started. It kept getting louder and louder, until about 15 motorcycles were over the hill in the road.

"Wow....that's a lot of hogs." he said. The bikes came to a stop right in front of us as we turned around. A brown bear, the biggest, oldest looking one stood up off his bike.

"That was some nice flying earlier, kid." looking right at me. "I never seen anything like it. You build it yourself?" I nodded, too scared to say anything. "You work on bigger machines like cars and motorcycles?" I nodded again. "It is gonna snow tonight, kid. We are willing to give you and your boy a good dinner and some warm beds to sleep in if your willing to help us out."

Frankie turned to me. And I turned to him. We were in this together now, and I didn't really care what we did, so I looked at him to choose. I shrugged, keeping an eye on them. He replied, "They kinda scare me, but I don't know....I have this feelin' that they are 'cool'."

"I am getting a vibe like that too." We looked at the sky. Sure enough, it looked like snow.

"Just don't say anythin' k? I will do the talkin'." I nodded. He turned to the big guy. "Sure, but why you want a bunch of kids?"

"Like I said, I need a mechanic" he nodded to me "and you were with her, so I extended the invitation to you as well."

**.......................................**

An hour later, me and Frankie were sitting at this long table, piled with food. We were given a room, thankfully with two beds, that we put our stuff in. "Now I don't want any kinky stuff from you two kids tonight." Ted said, who was the brown bear and leader of the group. We both blushed at the fact we thought we were together. He then showed us to the dinning room, talking about all the things he need me to help with for the next day or two. When we walked into the room, there was about 30 guys, all with a fierce face. Ted whispered to us not to worry and that they just never seen a girl before and had no clue how to act. I gave a weak smile, looking at the men.

Ted sat us together at one end of the table. Frankie sat at the end of the table, and I sat to his left. The other guys kept their distance and Ted left to sit at the other head of the table, directly across from Frankie.

The men started to loosen up as me and Frankie grabbed food. Most of them spoke French and Frankie looked really confused, like he was trying to figure out what they were saying. "You don't speak French do you?" I asked.

"French? I thought for sure they were speakin' German. I thought I was gonna have to whoop some Hitler-follower ass." I sighed. He was truly an idiot. He ignored me and went on. "So you understand these commies?"

"One, they are not German or Communists. Two, I speak a lot of languages." I replied in whisper so they wouldn't hear me...hopefully. All of the trips with Andrew around the world gave me a chance to pick up the words of other cultures. He stared asking what they were saying and I would tell him. Two rats, around their 30's, were talking which caught my attention.

"La honte elle a reçu ce garçon la protégé ant." one said in French. He had short dirty blonde hair. (A.N. Translation at the end of the chapter.)

"S'il vous plaît, payez-elle et elle vous donnera un rapide. Le garçon ne saurait jamais." the other replied in French. He had black hair literally stuck to his head with grease.

"Désolé, mais je ne m'y baisserais jamais juste pour quelques dollars, vous corrompez." I replied in French. The men were surprised.

"Ah mierda. El pollito dice francés," the dirty-blonde one said in another language with a fake expression of fear on his face.

"Digo el español también. Y yo mejor dicho usted no me llama 'un pollito'."

He looked at me. He clearly thought of this as a game as we went back and forth saying different languages. In the end, I had know more, and won. Frankie and the black-hair pervert were clearly lost in what we were saying, or even what we were doing. Then I realized all the guys at the table were watching me and the blonde guy have our word battle. A round of applause and cheers came my way.

"Hmm, we sure have ourselves a brilliant girl." Ted said with a smile. Turning to Frankie, he added "You're a lucky one to have her by your side."

"In more ways then one," the blonde pervert said with a smirk. I never seen so many hand hit a rat on the back of the head at one time. I giggled.

"Back to what I was saying," giving a death glare to the pervert, Ted continued, "how did you meet this girl, and how does she put up with you?"

"She doesn't. We only meet an hour or two ago."

"Really? When you stole the apples and she saved your sorry ass?" Frankie nodded with a smile. "We have a pretty little thing, with a brain and a heart of gold. What have you got? Clearly not any brains." We all laughed, even Frankie.

"True Sir, but I have my good looks and charm." Adding a smile.

"Wrong, try again," replied Ted. More laughter.

"Let's see....Oh, of course. My strong athletic build." He put his arm out and made a non-existing muscle.

"Kid, we all saw you run today. You are no athlete or strong guy."

"Sense of humor?" he added with a shrug.

"Yeah ok..." I said rolling my eyes.

"Wow, ousted by the girl." Everyone laughed. Frankie, a bit red in the face, but still happy to see the tension between them and the guys was gone.

We stayed at the table and talked with the men for hours. They had amazing stories since most of them had been all over the western-hemisphere. The only one not looking like he was having fun was the blonde pervert. Eventually, when black-haired grease ball fell over from being so drunk, Ted ordered everyone to bed. Me and Frankie walked to our room and I got undressed first while he stood outside the room. When we switched, the blond pervert was out there waiting for me.

"Hello sweetheart."

"Wow, you do speak English..." I turned away from him. That was one mistake that could have cost me dearly.

He sprang up, grabbing me and pushing me into the wall with his hand over top of my face. He didn't need his hand to cover my mouth, I was too scared to scream or yell. I just looked up at him through my glasses. I knew my eyes must have been wide with fear and my fur whiter then normal.

"It isn't a very nice thing, to show me up. Now I am gonna have to do something to get my reputation back." he whispered into my ear. I closed my eyes, fearing what he was going to do. He pet my ear roughly, but the next thing I knew, I was slumped on the ground, Ted standing over-top of me. It looked like Ted had ht the blonde pervert across the head, knocking him sliding across the floor.

"**OUT...NOW....NEVER COME BACK.**" His voice scared me, with him being so friendly with a smile on his face and his kind words all night, now a scowl and the loud words didn't fit him. The blonde rat ran, tripping over his feet, and kept going. I never saw him again. Ted picked me up in his huge arms, his smile returned, yet he looked really worried, "Are you ok, kid?" I nodded, tears streaming out my eyes. Frankie was standing next to me, and the two put me into my room. Ted kept apologizing over and over. Eventually, I had cried myself into a long and deep sleep, wrapped in Frankie's arms with Ted standing outside the door the entire night, not moving or talking. Just protecting the two kids.

_______________________

Hey...pretty long chapter huh?

Sorry about the ending...I know, a bit freaking....

Next chapter will be less depressing.....

And if your wondering why Frankie is a sloth, check out Ice Age and see Sid....

AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL MY READERS AND THE COMMENTS!!!!! You really make me want to finish the story.....

_La honte elle a reçu ce garçon la protégé ant- _**Shame she got that boy protecting her**

_S'il vous plaît, payez-elle et elle vous donnera un rapide. Le garçon ne saurait jamais- _**Please, pay her and she will give you a quick one. The boy would never know**

_Désolé, mais je ne m'y baisserais jamais juste pour quelques dollars, vous corrompez- _**Sorry, but I would never lower myself to that just for a few dollars, you pervert**

_Ah mierda. El pollito dice francés- _**Oh shit. The chick speaks French**

_Digo el español también. Y yo mejor dicho usted no me llama 'un pollito'__**.- **_**I speak Spanish too. And I rather you not call me a 'chick.'**


	9. Chapter 9

**September 1, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
11:01 AM**

I dialed the phone and hung it up to put it on speaker phone. Not knowing how long those guys would want to talk for, I decided to hit two birds with one stone and fix my microwave whilst talking with them. I was surrounded by little parts for a microwave. A familiar voice picked up, giving his usual joyful greeting. "Hello, you have reached the Hell Hole of Doom. How may I help you today?" In the background was the sound of metal tools and men grunting.

"Jeez Frankie, you know you can leave that place whenever you want." I responded while picking up the transformer and making sure it wasn't broken.

"Am I on speaker, Penelope?"

"Yeah, how you don't mind. I'm trying to fix my microwave."

"Nice. After that, I need you to come down and fix a plane for me. I blew up another one yesterday."

"Seriously?"

A beep went through the phone telling me I was now on speaker on the other line. "Yes. He seriously did." Ted's voice said, with a laugh. "Can you please take him off our hands again." I laughed. As long as Team Canada had known me and Frankie, he was always by my side. Until, of course, when I joined the Cooper Gang a year and a half ago. When me and Ben went to see them and build the new vault up in Canada, the guys told Frankie he would need to find his own path and leave me to wonder on my own. Since then, Frankie decided to stay with the team.

And since then, we always joked about trying to get rid of Frankie.

"Ha-ha. Your just lucky I stay here to cook for you guys." It was true. Frankie wasn't the smartest or the strongest or the greatest pilot or the funniest or anything except for being a phenomenal cook. But he was truly amazing at it.

"Very true," Ted commented. "By the way, kid, you haven't been here for awhile. You been keeping up with your training?"

"Yes."

"Your lyin'."

"Thanks Frankie." I said sourly. Taking care of everything was sucking away all my free time. I couldn't bring myself to tell Ted that. I could hear Ted taking a deep breath, getting ready to lecture me about being able to protect myself and my "inferior" boyfriend.

Thankfully, on the other end, a muffled voice cried out, "Yo Teddy! I think Larry got stuck in his plane again!"

"Jesus Christ, again? Go get the butter!" Ted yelled back. He sighed deeply before continuing. "Sorry kid, but I have to go. Try to train some more, got it? Love ya."

"Love you too, Dad."


	10. Chapter 10

**February 23, 1999  
****Montréal, Canada  
****4:03 AM**

"Frankie, you see them?" I whispered into my microphone.

"NAH...I THING THEY'RE ALL SLEEPIN'!"

"Frankie...shhhh!!!" I held my ears for a few moments. "Christ Frankie. If you have not realized yet, I can hear fine with my huge ears. You do not need to yell." I hissed.

"Oops, sorry Penelope. I forgot...about the whole mouse ear thing." I shook my head. No matter how many times I told him that the microphones I designed worked by the vibrations of someone's jaw, and you only need to whisper to be hear loud and clear, he would still constantly yelled into it. And my poor ears just could not take much more.

"It's okay, just be quiet. They might wake." I looked out the window, and it was really snowing hard. I smiled. A perfect escape. Once we made it outside onto one of the snowmobiles, we would be home free. "Ok, you across from Gate B yet?"

"Yea...just got here."

"Good. Keep out of sight until I say 'Go.' Remember, just run. I can take care of myself."

"I got it, Boss." I typed a few more things on the computer I was working on to completely turn of the security. Hopefully, I did right so no alarm would go off. I rechecked my work, and pushed my glasses farther up my nose. I took a deep breath and gulped. It was now or never.

"Go!" I ran out of the office on the second story through the door and jumped off the balcony, landing on my feet, and started to sprint for the door with my duffle-bag in my hand. It would have been easier to sneak out a window, but the whole place didn't have a single one so we were stuck always trying to get out the huge garage doors called "Gates" which made a lot of noise when opened. Frankie had already opened the gate on my command and dashed into the snow storm. So far, no alarms had gone off when he opened them, so my security breach was a success. It was a blizzard out here, snow flying everywhere. It was hard to see, but I quickly caught up, gabbing Frankie's bag to make sure he wouldn't slow down and grabbing his arm so he would not get lost. The snow was extremely deep, but we made quick work of it, but making both of us slightly out of breath. We were only 50 yards from the snowmobiles when spotlights came on. They blinded me for a second, before I got my bearings.

"Shit! Penelope, they found us!" I turned around, seeing the problem. With the spotlights on, I could easily see the ten guys were running towards us. Two tigers carried broad swords, a vulture carried bronze knuckles, and a few others just charged at us, determining to fight us hand-to-hand. Even one bull dog charged at us with the first thing he found: a broomstick.

"Go, I got this." I yelled at Frankie, while throwing the sloth his bag. I took out two light-weight swords out off my duffle, and threw it to the ground. Frankie made quick work to the snowmobiles, as the guys charged us. With the spotlight, I saw them easily in the early morning. The only problem I would face was the foot and a half mound of snow covering the ground. I stood in my stance, waiting for them to come to me. They were good, but I was better. I was not that defenseless girl that needed saving. I could protect myself, and Frankie. My sword clashed with the tiger's, and I used the handles of my swords to deliver jabs into the guts of the others. The slowest, the bull dog, finally reached me as the last man went down. He yelled, swinging the broomstick at me. I chopped the wood into tiny pieces in the blink of an eye. He stared at the broken pieces of wood. In his mind, he thought of what to do. This girl had just beat up my friends, and she deserved retribution. And he did what any reasonable man would do in his position.

He held up to hands, before falling to the ground and playing dead. Hey, I still had two swords, took down the rest of his comrades without killing them, and just destroyed his only weapon.

I took a deep breath, looking around for others. And out of the 43 men that lived in the frozen abyss, the only one that could beat me easily charged right at me: Ted.

I picked up my bag, getting ready to run. The snow had picked up, making zero viability outside of the spotlight. He was only 40 yards from me, and I knew he would be able to out run me. The 300-pound bear did not look it, but he could outrun, as well as outfight, anyone. He had outsmarted us again.

Or so I though...

Miraculously, Frankie got to the snowmobile, remembered how the snowmobile worked, and found his way to pick me up. With Ted only yards away, I hopped on, clinging to the middle of Frankie as we speed off into nowhere, leaving Ted in the dust. We had finally made it out of that prison. Four long months of being in lock-down, not being able to leave unless if we escaped. We heard more snowmobiles fire up, but using my ingenious map of the area, we easily lost the pursuers.

When we were safe, Frankie pulled over, hopped off, and started to do a little jig. He kept singing "We did it! We did it!" over and over. I smiled, remembering why we were put on lock down. It was our second day at their garage, when I woke up in Frankie's arms. It kinda scared me, waking up with him holding me, drooling on my fur. Then I remembered what happen and that I was to weak to do anything. During breakfast, I couldn't stop staying how I was sorry to cause so much trouble and that he should just give me whatever he wanted fixed so we wouldn't cause any more problems. Ted only laughed, saying I would worry about the machines later. Today, I was going to learn how to protect myself. And until either me or Frankie learned, we weren't going anywhere. Me and Frankie looked at each other, not knowing what to expect.

Back in the Hampton's, I would work out, mostly on a treadmill and small free weights to keep a good figure. But Ted taught me how to fight, and to protect myself. The first day, both me and Frankie were paranoid. Ted started showing us all sorts of forms, informing us it was amazing we were still alive for being on our own for months up here in Canada. "If you did not know how to fight, you were as good as dead up in these parts." was his award winning speech to get us to train. Frankie pretty much failed at everything physical, but me and the other guys learned pretty fast he was a great cook.

But for me, I spent four months being taught by Ted. My reward was when I could escape from the hanger, I was free to go. Until then, I was to stay here, fix the bikes and such, and train. First he showed me kick boxing. I was small and skinny, but I focused on increasing my speed. That was a complete fail, since I had always been one of the slowest runners in my class, but I had good stamina to make up for it. It amazed the guys how long I would last in a fight.

We also did weight training, so I would have "a bit-o-meat on my puny arms." Along with kick boxing, he showed me fisticuffs, which focused more power to go through the arms and fists. I was so weak compared to the other guys when I did it. They would make fun of me for being weaker, and would always kick my ass when I spared with one of the guys. Slowly, my entire body was turning into one big bruise.

But while they were laughing, I was improving. About a month ago, I finally figured out how to beat all of them, with the exception of Ted. The entire time, I thought of fighting as the guy being the strongest, is the winner. Ted was the biggest, thus the strongest. But, fighting is really just strategy, and doing the right moves at the right time and knowing your opponent. I focused on speeding up my thinking, and finally managed to be one of the toughest guys on the base camp.

Then a month ago, he showed me why he put me through the torturer. He said it made me faster and able to take a punch. He took out these two long, light weight swords. Using them, I could beat everyone at the camp at the same time. The only one that could still beat me was Ted, only because he already knew my weak spots since he was the one that had mainly taught me. Even when I improved my weak spots, he started to fight sneaky. Once I almost had him beat, then he grabbed my tail, making me fall. Jerk.

Through out the entire time, I also worked on motorcycles, cars, snowmobiles, RC stuff, and even bi-planes. That was all that they seemed to do. None of them seem to work. Every once and awhile, a few of them would disappear for a weekend and return with loads money. Me and Frankie soon realized they were thieves.

Two months ago, we overheard one of their conversations, saying that they were indeed thieves. They caught us spying, when Frankie sneezed due to the non-existing dust in the air vent. We kept saying over and over "please don't kill us" and "we won't tell anyone". The men only laughed. We had been there only a couple of months, but they were already really liking us.

They told us that the group was made to join the ACES Competition in Holland. It was for pilots, like themselves, who wanted to show who was the best of the best by fighting in dogfights. It was held on April 1st every year for the past 25 years. Ted had started "Team Canada" about ten years ago, and had won almost every year. I said it sounded really cool, and the next thing I knew, I was flying high in the sky with Ted, with Frankie watching at a safe distance on the ground.

After all that, we were finally free. We could do whatever we want. I was strong enough to defeat anyone in our way, and Frankie....well, he can cook us food we steal. I smiled, looking at the falling snow. "Ready to go back?"

"Hell ya!"

I took the wheel as we headed back. As we drove back into the camp, I though of all the times we tried to escape, but something always got in the way. Usually, it was Frankie with a sword to his throat. As we pulled up to base camp, we got a round of applause from every guy on the base. They had been waiting for us, seeing if we would return or not. Technically, we were free to go. Me and Frankie owed nothing to them, and they had not been able to capture us meaning we were free.

But us returning, meant we could actually be apart of Team Canada. And both of us were more then happy to sigh our soul over to them, and become big time thieves.

**...........................**

After breakfast, cooked by the lovely Frankie, Ted took me out back to show me the most amazing thing I had ever seen. It was a run-down bi-plane, and that I was to fix it up to fly in the upcoming competition.

"Why?" I asked as a tear came down my cheek.

"You're a good flyer. We will change it so your fake license says your 20 so you are old enough to fly and..." He started, avoiding my obvious question.

"Not what I meant, Ted." I looked up at him. This man offered free food and board to two teens he saw at a market, taught them to fight, and locked them up, never to be able to escape unless if they had a plan. I was grateful for it all, but why had he done this? He could have easily ignored the sloth and mouse eating apples, as they walked blindly into an approaching snowstorm.

"Hmmm...I figured you would ask eventually. I saw you two that day in the market, him stealing those apples and you saving him, and your RC copter caught my eye, kid. I saw you, and you looked just like my little Annie. I just had to have you stay the night. Just to pretend that my daughter was there, helping with my bike again." he said, sobbing uncontrollably. He fell to the ground, crying. I was not a hundred percent sure what to do, so I just sat down next to him on his left, placing my head next on his side. Peter would always hold me when I was upset, but due to the size difference, I did not think I would be able to do it with Ted. He looked down at me while I looked up. He smiled, using his left hand to ruffle my hear, before putting it around me.

"Well...I married about 28 years ago to, the girl of my dreams, Louis. A year later, she had died giving birth to my Annie. I cared for her, trying to do a father's job as well as a mother's." He stopped, chuckling at a distant memory. "I always was there to protect her, no matter what. She was this tiny little thing, a bear cub, but a polar bear like her mum. We lived in NYC, a pretty tough town, and I never let her out of my sights. One day about 10 years ago, she was mugged and shot 3 times in the chest." he stopped again to collect his thoughts. "She had died instantly. And I felt horrible. I taught her to stick up for herself, but never to fight.

"I saw you, and it was just something she would have done. Protect someone, even if that would have gotten her hurt. I thought, maybe for a day or two, I could just have some closure by working with you. When I saw what Evan did to you that night, I wasn't going to let you leave until I knew you could take care of yourself and your idiot friend. I couldn't let history repeat. So I locked you up, and threw away the key, until, of course, when you could forge your own key and beat up Matt and his broomstick of doom." he smiled, and started laughing. I started smiling, knowing he was feeling better. He sighed. "Now I told you my story of why I kept you here again your will. Now you need to tell me your story, Miss. Penelope Partone."

I looked at him in shock. It had been ages since anyone had called me that. "How...how did you..." I started to stutter.

"I was a newspaper editor in New York City, and everyone loved Miss. Penelope "OMG I'm So Pretty" Partone." He started laughing again, and I could not help but laugh. Your picture was in almost all of my papers. I didn't know it when I first saw you, kid. But I slowly started to realize over a few days. When I saw Partone was MIA, I put two and two together. Now, care to explain?"

"A story for another time." I stuck my tongue at him and the arm around me quickly turned into a headlock. I eventually got free, and got around the back of his neck, giving him a small kiss on the check. "You know, all me and my father ever did together was drink coffee, and it was the tastiest tasting stuff ever. I like hanging out with you a lot more, dad." I let go, leaving him completely stunned. I started looking over my own bi-plane, making notes on innovations for it. Ted just stood there, a huge grin on his face.

"Oh Christ. Another teenaged girl to raise." He said under his breath, before leaving.


	11. Chapter 11

**September 1, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
11:12 AM**

"So how you and the crippled doin' anyway?"

"_Do not _call him a crippled. He, plus friends, will kill you, and I will be more then happy to join the manhunt."

"Yes-ums mom. Anyway, you going to be coming to the ACES competition this year. Team Canada needs some real competition with Team Black Baron, Team Cooper and Team Muggshot gone." I smirked. It was true; With those teams gone, Team Canada won with no problems last April.

"Once I make a new identity, yes. But both Penelope and the Black Baron are forever banned. Also, Bentley and the others don't like the whole idea of me flying and getting shot at." I was kinda depressed when Bentley and Murray were totally against me dog fighting at this year and future years at ACES.

"They realize that is why they hired you for the Vault job, right?"

"No. They hired me to be a RC specialist. The whole first-rate pilot along with the kickboxing and sword-fighting was something they weren't expecting." I said laughing.

"Nope, they were expecting some young, hot, busty blonde. Instead they got a bipolar middle-aged English dude." Frankie started busting out laughing. He was not the funniest guy ever. As he laughed over his own lame joke, I started absent-mindedly playing with the green guitar pick at the end of a chain on my neck. I smiled looking down at it. "Oh, come on! Dat was funn-y! And true."

"If I do believe, both of those disguises were made by you, Frankie."

"You wore 'em."

"I was a 'young, hot, busty blonde'?"

"Ok, you were a good old guy. But all you need is a pic of you and an actual young, hot, busty blonde and a bit-o-tape." he started laughing again, and I couldn't even help but smile remembering his first good plan. When Bentley had asked for my picture over Thiefnet, I wasn't sure what to do. What if they say the real me at competition, and tried to get me to join their group unwillingly? The only reason they had been invited was A) we needed another team and B) there was no way they would beat me, so I wouldn't have to join their gang. So Frankie fixed my dilemma by forging a picture. It was pretty good work. I just wished I would have known the other side could do it too, and save me and Frankie both from drooling all over my laptop when we saw "Bentley".


	12. Chapter 12

**March 31, 1999  
Kinderdijk, Holland  
12:23 PM**

We stepped out of our planes into Kinderdijk, Holland, where the ACES competition would take place. It was huge. All sorts of bi-planes and people from all over the world in one little place. We had taken our top 25 planes to the competition, mine being one of them. It seemed that everyone took more planes and people then necessary. Only 15 planes could fly at one time for one team, but everyone made damn sure they had double or even triple the planes and men-power.

"Lots of practical jokes go down here. It is a dangerous place to be caught by yourself." Ted whispered to me and Frankie. "Make sure he stays with you at all times." The three of us plus the other 30 men from camp came to either fly, do a quick fix for the planes, or to protect our hanger. These practical jokes seemed horrible. It would be much nicer just to worry about flying then having to protect your plane and self.

10 of our biggest guys took the first shift, while the rest of us went to the hotel. The guys got 9 suites. 4 guys to a room plus one for me and Frankie. After the first night at the Camp, Frankie was taken from my room, saying there was no respect to put a young lady and an idiot together. A few days after that, me and Frankie and a few other guys from camp went to the market to pick up supply. A hot guy happened to pass by, and the other guys freaked out. They were sure that I, the one and only girl and a teenager as well, would be interested. But they were not expecting me not to notice him, and have Frankie to stop short and stare at the guy's ass, jaw dropped.

Apparently, it wasn't obvious to them Frankie was gay. He was quickly put back into my room, both of us laughing at the revelation for the guys.

That night we got a lecture from Ted in our hanger. "Ok, team. We have been here before. Seven straight years, and every year we get better and better. The same team, no new noobs for the past 6 years. This year, we finally got rid of the ass Evan," a round of boos and comments went around the room. Ted continued when we all stopped. "and we earned a brilliant not-17 year old dogfighter," Everyone laughed. Ted hadn't told everyone my heritage, but he stilled told them that I was only 17, which was pretty obvious. The legal rules for the competition was I had to be at least 18 to fix the planes, 20 to fly, and 40 to actually lead a team. "As well as a cook," nodding to Frankie. Another round of cheers went for the two of us. "Now last year, we were runner-up, beat only by Team Iceland. But this year, we will win first place, like years past!"

After the speech, me, Frankie, Tommy, Greg, and Larry stayed to guard the planes. We were just walking around making sure no one came near the place. These Hi-jinxes kept everyone on their toes, and since fighters were forbidden, it kept everyone frustrated. If you knew someone did something to your plane, you couldn't go punch him. The only thing that kept the "jokes" to a minimum, was the fact that the flight roster was a kept a secret from the Teams. I was glad that your team didn't take part in such silly....

"WE GOT ICELAND'S PARACHUTES AGAIN!!!!!" it was one of those moments, you just wanted to slap yourself: which I did. Now I knew why we kept in top shape. To steal money back home and to steal parachutes here. A round of applause came from the other four as Ted, Benny, Mike, and Matt came in with about 30 sum backpack parachutes.

"Again?"

"Come on, kid. It is just a joke. We have been doing it since year two because our first year, Team Iceland blew us out of the water in the semi-finals." they all laughed. Great, I thought. They only protect their hanger so they don't get what they do to other teams.

"How does Iceland feel about this?"

"Pissed, of course. They have to bring extras and hide them every year because the first two times we did it, they had to forfeit because they had no dogfighters that would fly without a parachute." Ted said to me. I was really pissed off. "Well your shift is done," looking at me with what seemed to be a bit of fear in his face. I left angrily, Frankie following close behind.

"It is pretty funny," he smiled at me.

"It is pretty dangerous," I glowered at him.

**.............................**

**June 23, 2001  
****Montréal, Canada  
****4:03 PM**

That year, we ended up beating Team England and Portugal in the semi-finals. It was such a rush flying up there. The guys always said I was a natural born pilot, and I thought they just went easy on me in practice. But going against the other teams, I realized I was pretty damn good. I ended up bring down 5 planes, proving I held my own in a dogfight. In the finals, we went against Team Ireland and Iceland, thankfully who had their spare parachutes. I managed to get 3 planes down while they were going after Ted. Ted, who was truly amazing at this, managed to get down both the leaders in under 10 minutes. We won, knowing next year that we would have to stay champions.

And we did the next two years racking up 6 first place trophies for Team Canada. It was the middle of summer in 2001, when me and Ted had the fight. I was always angry that we would pull pranks, and as a right, the champion of each year would put down rules for the upcoming competition. I would always try to get him to put down no late night hi-jinxes, but he wouldn't even conceder it. He would just laugh, saying that was how the game was played.

"If you don't like it kid, then leave and start you own team and beat us. Only thing stopping you is about another 20 years experience."

"Fine, see you in 20 years old man." I started to storm off, knowing there was no way I could pull this off. We both knew it.

"Penelope, get back here." he said with a sigh. "You have been here for almost 4 years now. Maybe you should see the world a bit with your own two eyes." We stared at each other for a bit. We both knew that one of us would eventually leave to go somewhere. I just couldn't believe that I was going now. He stared up, and I turned around. All 31 guys were behind us. Some crying because they knew that they were losing their little girl and a cook. "that goes for all of you men. You are of course allowed to stay, but don't you want to see the world and think about having a family. Men, we need to take risks in our life, and it isn't going to happen in this cubby hole. If you still wish to dogfight, you are to repot back here in the mid-February.

"And idiot," he turned to Frankie, "make sure she meets a great guy. And when she does, leave her alone and come back here. You can't always follower her, but you sure as hell can cook here whenever you want." We all laughed. It was a sad laugh, tears and snot flying everywhere. Me and Frankie decided to head off to England for a bit. Even some of the guys hopped into their plane, promising to be back in a few months. "And make sure when she comes back on hands and knees to beg for my forgiveness, she is wearing a dress, complete with tiara.

**.......................................**

**August 1, 2001  
Somewhere outside Caen, France  
4:03 PM**

"So what are we gonna do" Frankie asked for about the one millionth time.

We were sitting in some field in France. "I don't know." I said once again. In the past two months, were had been all of Europe. We were running out of stuff to do. We had done a few heists, so we were good on money. There was only so much a 19-year-old genius girl and a 20-year-old gay guy could do with a plane.

"I got it." Frankie jumped of the ground. "We are goin' to make a team and enter into the ACES competition and beat Team Canada!"

"How do you expect to do that?" It sounded like fun, but I had no clue how we would pull it off. Then the light bulb went off in my head. I said with a huge grin, "Team Canada was so going down."

**......................................**

**March 31, 2002  
****Kinderdijk, Holland  
****12:53 PM**

"And who may you be?" a man with a clipboard asked as we tried to find our hanger.

"Team Black Baron," a short middle-aged English man responded.

"Oh, new are you? You and your men have Hanger 34." We turned to go to our hanger, all 39 of us. I had 25 pilots, 5 mechanics, and 8 very large men to make damn no one messed with our planes. Plus our cook.

"Good, the accent was brilliant." Frankie whispered into his microphone. I heard him under the 100 pounds of clothes, body suit, and mustache. I though back a few months. We were trying to figure out how to make me look like a 40 year old woman. I soon found out we had a better chance to make me a man. When I said this, Frankie busted out laughing. After spending a week in London, England, I disguised myself as a middle-age man and asked Frankie the way to the London Underground. I had fooled him, and then scared him out of his mind when he got back to the motel, seeing the same guy that had asked for directions was sitting on his couch eating TV and eating his leftover Pork Egg Foo Young.

After a few days on Thiefnet, I found more then enough men ready to fly on my team. All having their own bi-plane. We set up our base of operations in Holland, only about 200 miles from Kinderdijk. None of them knew that the Black Baron was really a teen-aged girl.

The only bad part about our plan, was calling Ted (which we were made to do every week or he would send the guys looking for us) and telling him were would not be coming back for the competition. After about an hour of crying, he made me promise to at least visit after Team Canada won the competition. He though I had joined another team, and Ted didn't want us around to hear their plans. It was now war.

The next day, we easily won our semi-finals. We would be facing Team Canada as well as Team Iceland in the Final's. It was hard having to take Ted out of the sky, but after the first bullet to my new plane from Ted, I knew I was going to kick his ass.

And I almost did. After about a 2 hour fight, the only people left was me and Ted. He had won, but afterwards, he told me it was one of the hardest dogfights he had ever been in. I told him, in my English accent, that I would be back next year, with a vengeance.

When I got back to my hotel room I shared with Frankie, we started jumping up and down. I knew with a little more training, we would win, no doubts. It sucked for Frankie, though. To make sure that Team Canada didn't see him, or get recognize by anyone else, he was stuck in a disguise and almost always in the hotel room, never allowed to see the actual fights.

When we went to the camp in Canada for a visit, everyone was waiting, refusing to go anywhere until they saw us alive and fine. They were a bit confused when they hadn't seen us at the competition, but gladly gloated as they showed off their new trophy, and had no clue they were talking to the Black Baron.

**............................**

Next year in the ACES Competition, we were in the finals with Team Canada along with a new team, Team Muggshot. I had seen this Muggshot before, and it was on TV getting arrested years ago. If was only a few days after I disappeared when I heard about The Cooper Gang in the U.S. and them going after Muggshot. During the finals, Ted was the first to go down after only 5 minutes. Later I found out someone had cut his gas line, and he quickly lost all of gas and forfeited. Only about 2 minutes after that, Muggshot followed suit. Team Black Baron had won. We would get total control of the competition and the rules. I so badly wanted to tell Ted, but I had started out to change the rules, but now it seemed that the Black Baron was an over night success. He was invited to go everywhere and show off his moves. It was so over whelming.

**...............................**

It was about a month before the 2004 ACES competition, where I would have total control over the rules. I hired more guys to enforce the new rules. Also, I had to make sure I won again this year. Just being in first place one year wasn't going to stop these idiots from trying to kill each other with their pranks.

Then I got a message from this guy Bentley aka Spex_Guy asking me to help him out with this "gig".

___________________

Hope you guys had fun with some fireworks, (for ppl not celebrating fourth of july, fireworks are ALWAYS fun!)....and I hope you like the chapter

Again...thz to all my readers....I heart you

Also...the next few even numbered chapters will be longer, talking about all the heist the Cooper Gang did in Penelope's point of view....how you enjoy


	13. Chapter 13

**September 1, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
1:16 PM**

**User Name: **Air_Heart_Babe

**Password: **********

I had logged onto Thiefnet, just to check out a few things, after I finished talking to Frankie and fixing the microwave. Mostly just making sure all of the ridiculous stories about the disappearance of Sly Cooper and his Gang were as far from the truth as possible. I had made quite a few fake accounts on Thiefnet that would go around telling tale tales about the disappearance in chatrooms, to make sure that Sly would be safe with Carmelita and his "amnesia". With Bentley so focused on the Time machine, he always overlooked things like keeping his brothers and the rest of the gang safe, eating, sleeping, showering, working on other inventions, and even me sometimes.

So I made sure to either do them or make sure that he did.

Right now the Guru was safe in the Australian Outback, training more students. Panda King was with his sister and daughter in the Kunlun Mountain . Dimitri was being Dimitri and was having parties all over the world with all kinds of drinks, drugs, and girls. Murray was currently racing his van in the NVR (National Van Racing) which took him to some pretty cool places all over the United States. But what had been really surprising me was his phone bills which had a lot of calls over seas to Hong Kong. I did not want to bring up, since it would prove I was spying, but I really wanted to know. And, of course, Sly was all over the world, as an English Constable, side-by-side with Inspector Fox.

As for me and Bentley, we were living in a loft in New York City. It was a bit close to home for me, my Hampton Main Home being only 2 hours away, but Bentley had apparently fallen in love with the city on a past "gig". He refused to live anywhere else unless I gave a real reason. One day, I really need to tell him about the first 17 years of my life.

Just not today......

_____________

Hey, so I usually don't give my thoughts on the odd number chapters...but it is lucky 13, so what the hell....

My inspiration for this story came from this oneshot called Breakaway by Heiduska. It is on my favorites....I suggest listening to Breakway by Kelly Clarkson when reading it also...if you do of course (you really should)

Also...it seems my story has inspired someone to write their own Penelope fic.....The Good Thief is starting one and you really should read it. First chapter is awesome.....

Thanks for reading.....and try to guess her password...hint: she changed it after going out with Bentley


	14. Chapter 14

**February 27, 2004  
Kinderdijk, Holland  
9:23 PM**

"Holy Shit."

That was that he said at the end of my story. I looked at the peace offering he gave me. It was a red bandana, to keep my hair from getting totally messed up when I put on my mask and head gear for the Black Baron. Earlier, he said with a laugh that it would go with my cape. Frankie gave it to me because he really wanted to know who I was before we had meet. He had been my best friend and brother for 5 and a half years now, so I sighed and told him. Getting "Holy Shit" and a blank face for a response.

I had known everything about him. He had grown up with his mom and 5 half-brothers and half-sisters. They all had the same mom, but different dads. When his mom died of an overdose when he was 17, they were split up and sent to different orphanages in NYC. He didn't want to go, so he ran. Eventually he made it to Canada, where he tried to steal some apples.

He felt it wasn't fair I knew all about him, but he knew nothing about my past. He did manage to stay quiet through out the entire story, and only added his comment when I had finished. He looked across the room, "Now I know why you were so obsessed with getting that fake flower," he said pointing to my RC car. He added, "Andrew is such an ass. I'm not surprised you didn't leave sooner." He stood up, tying my new accessory on. In the mirror, I saw him play with my bangs a little, before just letting them hang in front of my face. He just stared at my new hairstyle, before talking again. "Have you talked to Peter at all?"

I shook my head. I was to scared to find him. I knew he would be more then happy I ran, but what if they found out and took me back. "Well, I am still with ya. I'm not goin' anywhere, no matter how rich and stuck-up you used to be. Now lets unpack a bit more."

I looked around our new home. It was just me and him for the moment. In a week or so, our Team would come to our new castle. It was only half a mile from the ACES competition field, and suited the new life style of the Black Baron. He had become an over night success, most people even thought of him as the person who started the competition. I always laughed at it, since this would be the competitions 30th year, and I was only 21, yet the Black Baron "started it".

The castle was right next to an airplane hanger, that could easily hold all 50 of my Team's planes. The hanger was only right outside of the limits of the competition, making it so my team would stay here, rather then with the ruffians at the hotel. I was prepared this year, and wasn't going to let anything make me lose. Top security system, designed by myself, 50 guards, 29 pilots, and 20 of the best mechanics. I made sure that my top guards would be surrounding the hotel to make sure nothing happened. And, of course, no one knew the Black Baron's identity except Frankie.

They finished unpacking the manly Black Baron room, filled with swords and animal skins, I logged onto Thiefnet, seeing if I would need any last minute supply. I logged onto the RC tech chatrooms, after seeing someone else logged on. I gave my usual greeting, knowing I had meet quiet a few good friends over the years on this chatroom.

**Air_Heart_Babe: **hey welcome to the RC chatroom! I'm Air_Heart_Babe, but you can call me Penelope.  
**Spex_Guy: **howdy. I'm Bentley, a.k.a. Spex_Guy

"That guy really said 'Howdy'...hahaha." Frankie said reading over my shoulder. I elbowed him in the stomach.

"Mind your own business."

**Spex_Guy: **so I've heard you're the expert on RC vehicles

"Oh boy, he's a stalker." Another elbow in the stomach.

**Air_Heart_Babe: **I been doin remote vehicle work since b4 I can remember! Hehe : )  
**Spex_Guy: **that RULZ  
**Spex_Guy: **would you be interested in a "gig"?  
**Air_Heart_Babe: **I donno... I don't usually do freelance  
**Spex_Guy: **but surly as a Theifnet member, you've heard of me and my crew? We're notorious worldwide  
**Air_Heart_Babe: **haha. That's what they all say LOL :P  
**Spex_Guy: **haha : )  
**Spex_Guy: **But I'm serious!!!!  
**Spex_Guy: **in fact during 1 of our most daring jobs, an Interpol officer told us that we pulled more successful jobs than any1 in their computer! BOOOOYAHHHH

"Come on...Let's work for the guy that said BOOOYAHHH" Frankie said, and started to crack up.

"No chance. I am so busy with the Black Baron that I would have to time for a long heist."

"No, he said "gig". He wants you to play keyboard for him in his band. Hahahahhaha...OWWW! Quit hitting me!"

"I wonder which gang he is apart of?"

"Does it matter? The dude said 'Howdy'."

I rolled my eyes, and sent my fingers flying across the keyboard again. I was more then busy right now, I did not have the time to deal with another thing on my plate. So as nicely as I could, I told him to "fuck off".

**Air_Heart_Babe: **sorry. I only work for THE BEST. Good luck on your big heist... er... "gig" : ]

**...............................**

I looked over the first-draft of the flight rooster a few days later. As winner from last year, it was my job to keep it safe, and gave me the opportunity to know who we were fighting against. It was all the same teams from last year, but all I really cared about was Team Canada, who we would be fighting in the Semi-finals. "Well this is brilliant."

"Whats up, Penelope?" Frankie asked, starting to take off his disguise after the visit from the official. He would wear a long, black overcoat, a wool, black hat, and dark tinted sunglasses. He reminded me from the guy in the Matrix.

"We won't being fighting Ted in the finals. We are scheduled to fight him in the semi-finals." I said peeling of my mustache. I tried not to think about how many more times I was going to have to peel that damn thing off. My lip was already starting to get red and sore and I was losing more and more tiny, purple-ish hairs every time.

"So, you've beat them before." he said, looking at his new outfit, now pretending to be in the matrix's.

"I know, it just won't be as fun." I started thinking. "Remember Bentley?" he nodded. "He really wanted my help, and what if I get him and the Cooper Gang to join. That would make it way more interesting, and could change the flight rooster so I could possibly fight Team Canada in the finals rather then the semi-finals."

"How we gonna do that?" I smiled at him as I ran to get my laptop. Even after a few days, he was still logged onto the chatroom, probably waiting for me to change my mind.

**Air_Heart_Babe: **hey Spex_guy?  
**Spex_Guy: **Whaaaaaaaaaaaatsupppppp

"Are ya sure you want someone that says 'Howdy,' 'Booyahh,' and 'Whaaaaatsuuuuuuuuup'?" I glared at him, and he knew to shut up now unless he wanted stomach pains again.

I explained to Bentley that I was a mechanic, he would have to beat "my boss" the Black Baron in the ACES competition. He really seemed to want me for the "gig" and said yes right away. He sent me his picture and both mine and Frankie's jaws dropped. He was gorgeous. A six pack and flowing blond hair. We stared for a long time, before we even noticed the guy had glasses and probably wanted my picture to. We looked at each other.

"No way your giving a real picture to a hottie like that!" Frankie yelled.

"Thanks. But it would not be the smartest idea. What if they saw me and made me join? I mean, I only need them to join to change up the rooster. There is no way they would ever beat the Black Baron."

Frankie's eyes lit up, pulling the computer away from me. He went to Google, and pulled up a picture of a young blond with these major curves. "Can you photocopy your face onto her?"

I thought for a second. "And some say you're an idiot."

"A lot do...including you!" I laughed, adjusted the picture, and pressed sent. They we went back to staring and drooling over Bentley.

**............................**

**March 31, 2004  
Kinderdijk, Holland  
5:54 PM**

It was the night before the ACES competition. I walked into the hotel, to make my new rules. I was of course in my disguise that included a blue mustache, helmet, really big goggles, red cape, brown boots and belt, and navy suit with gold buttons. I made a pose, a fist in the air, and the room quieted down. "I bid you all a most flamboyant welcome my esteemed comrades of the skies. Welcome, welcome to another year of the ACES competition. We've got teams here from across the globe. Canada, Belgium, Ecuador, Iceland, Korea, and many, many more. Not the least of which is last year's deadly runner-up, Team Muggshot."

A big bull dog, better known as Muggshot, stood at the railing yelling, "This time, we're going drill you jokers full of holes!" Laughter filled the hotel.

"Now, we all know that in years past, some teams have engaged in a little good natured late night hi-jinx," I continued. Then I was interrupted by other pilots.

"Like when Team Canada steals Team Iceland's parachutes!"

"Or when Belgium sawed the land gear off Korea's planes!"

"Or when Portugal put rat poison in team Muggshot's coffee machine!"

"Yes, yes, that was all so VERY funny," I said, sternly, quieting the room once again. "But no more! You know the rules, no one, absolutely NO ONE is to leave the hotel after sunset. If my guards catch you outside, you will be beaten to within an inch of your life. NO exceptions! This WILL BE a fair competition!" Again I was interrupted.

"Same as last year and the year before....I got the scars to prove it!"

God, these idiots aren't listening to anything I am saying. I as well end it now and let them get beat up by my guards. "I bid you all an exuberant and exaggerated farewell pilots....Tonight, sleep like geese and tomorrow, soar like eagles....high! What-what? Ha-ha!"

**.................................**

"That was amazing!" I heard Frankie's voice in my earphone, as I walked to my home. "I was behind Team Canada, and Larry said he though you were sleeping with him just to get these new rules started, and Ted almost took his head off. It was hilarious." I laughed. Ted was always did stuff like that when they said anything about me being with a boy other then Frankie. He joined up with me as we entered the castle, and put up the drawbridge. It used to have a switch at the top that anyone could use, but I made it so it was key operated, and myself and Frankie had the only keys.

As I enter the castle, I said to Frankie, loudly, "The competition starts tomorrow where are all my guards...all asleep, watching TV?? An abomination....." making sure all of my guards would be on their tip toes. I wanted no mishaps this year.

I went to my room to talk with my main pilot, Gordon. He was my second-in-command, a brilliant pilot, and had been with me all 3 competitions. He was a tough, strong, and threatening looking Beagle. "I tell you Gordon, the ACES pilots get better and better every year. We got some real competition on our hands this year. I am not saying it's to much for Black Baron....No no no no. We have done a fine job training. Our pilots are in tip-top condition. The best lot, no question to it."

"Of course, Baron, but you might want to, umm, intimidate them a bit more." Gordon added after my long ramble.

"Your correct. Let's see, where is that pesky microphone." I hated to scare my Team so much, but I couldn't lose. Unfortunately, we were still flying against Team Canada in the semi-finals, but if the Cooper's were as good as Bentley says, I would be flying against them in the Finals. And I wasn't going to lose to some rookies. Knowing them though, who only brought one plane, they would have a plan up their sleeve to cheat, and go after my planes.

"Attention, Attention Castle staff. We have the first round of the ACES completion just 12 hours away. You all have done a superlative job preparing for the event, and this year promises to be the best dog fighting action yet. However, I can not stress enough that I must win. You have all been hired to help me achieve victory. If, in fact, the unthinkable happens and Team Black Baron loses, I will dismiss the lot of you and start clean with a new staff. New pilots, guards, mechanics, and even maids. Am I making myself clear? Leave nothing to chance. No outsider is to enter the castle. No one it to go near our planes. If we lose....If I lose, I'm going to take it out on all of you. Anyhow, have a pleasant evening and have fun tomorrow. What-what." I took a deep breath. It was scaring me how well I could act like this evil guy.

Gordon looked rather happy as he left after my speech, leaving just me and Frankie. "Don't cha think that was a bit harsh?"

"I know. Unfortunately, that was what just came out of my mouth. I did not even need to think about saying it."

"Thats scary. Well, im gonna go make sure everything is going well. Maybe you should get some sleep?"

"No time." I said, ignoring him. He sighed, locking the door behind him as he left, only to come back three hours later. I was in the hallway, coming back after getting some coffee from the kitchen. He turned the corner, surprised and happy to see. He sprinted, and ended up tripping over his claws on his feet. He did a face plant right by my feet. I helped him up, and he pulled me into my room.

"WE HAVE HUGE PROBLEMS!!!"

I cringed as he yelled. Even with the head gear, I still heard him loud and clear through my sensitive ears. "What?" I asked not in the mood. All I wanted to do was fall asleep yet I would not be able to for another two days. Pretending to be an old English man was tiring work.

He lowered his voice. "Gordon is going to make sure we win. He gathered all the guards and paid them to start attacking the hangers along with Team Muggshot's guys, starting with Cooper's!"

My jaw dropped. How could he do this. He was one of my greatest guys. Then it hit me. Gordon thinks more about winning then doing the right thing. I have all my men listening to me, not pulling any pranks, but Gordon gets me to scare the guys and make them think they lose their job if we lose, and Gordon picks them up and bribes them to destroy the teams, making sure we win.

I was going to kill him. But for now, I had to help out Bentley, or as Frankie called him "the hottie". Using my laptop, I contacted Bentley to watch out and that a "rumor" was that Team Muggshot and Team Black Baron were going to try to destroy their plane. I then grabbed my RC chopper and my laptop after quickly getting rid of the Black Baron disguise. It was easier to work with my RC stuff without the bothersome outfit "Come on!" I told Frankie as we headed to the roof. I placed the chopper on the ground, and made it take off to the Team Cooper's hanger. I wasn't going to let anyone get hurt, plus these guys might need my help. On my laptop, I got a clear picture of what the chopper saw, with its built in night vision.

"Penelope!!!" a nasally voice yelled from nowhere came. Both me and Frankie jumped, and looked around for the origin of the voice.

"Hello?" I answered timidly into the night. No one was on the roof of the castle with me and Frankie, and we did not see anyone on the ground.

"Penelope...are you out there? Do you read me?" I looked on my computer, and sure enough Bentley was on video chat.

"I read you Bentley." I said, glad I wasn't dressed as the Black Baron. Frankie stayed out of the video feed thankfully.

"Uhh...this is an awkward first face-to-face, but..."

"But your hanger is being attacked traitorous black baron goons. Don't worry, I won't let those honor less, double-crossers hurt your plane."

"Is your RC chopper operational?"

"Affirmative, it has been deployed and airborne "

"You're a heck of a woman!" I blushed, hoping it was to dark for him to see.

"I know, that's what my homepage﻿ says." I had to kick Frankie from laughing. I wanted to kick myself really. I was always good with talking to guys, and now....I sounded like an ass.

After fighting all the guards I had carefully hand-picked to protect me and the competition,

Bentley said, "Great job Penelope! You're the best RC pilot I have ever seen!"

I blushed again. "Aw, those thugs deserved it. No one sells out the Black Baron and walks away scoot free."

**..............................**

**April 1, 2004  
Kinderdijk, Holland  
11:23 PM**

I was onto of the castle roof, really pissed off. It had been about 24 hours since I helped Bentley. I was right when they had a plan up there sleeve. The two team's they fought in the Semi-finals somehow pulled pranks on each other, and destroyed each other instead of Team Cooper. Team Cooper of course won. After that, I checked the safe with my copy of the flight rooster, and it was gone. It had this paper raccoon, the symbol of the Cooper Gang, in place of it. I was going to kill them. I liked them better when they had gone after the Fiendish Five.

Oh, and my intuition was right about them being the gang Inspector Carmelita Fox was chasing after. I had to deal with her today when Muggshot was arrested by her. Muggshot was of course disqualified as well as sent to jail, but his team is still flying tomorrow. And because most the team was disqualified last night because of Gordon, they feel it would be right to go tomorrow, and fight the Black Baron in the sky. Usually, when a captain is gone, the team drops out. But the rules say they can still fight if they want, they just automatically get 3rd place. One of my few guards left, told me a mechanic from Team Cooper was the one that started the fight between Muggshot and the inspector. Then somehow, my best 15 pilots were in the hospital, after being mauled by a wolf.

The Cooper's went against everything I did to become the Black Baron. With the calling card, the cop, Team "Cooper", and the genius Bentley, they were clearly the thieves I had once thought were amazing. Now they are just annoying jerks.

Also...one of my catapults were missing. Something else I was going to have to worry about.

**............................**

**April 2, 2004  
Kinderdijk, Holland  
6:23 AM**

I woke up, tired and agitated. I got in my plane, annoyed at what my competition was turning into. Now, the leader of Team Cooper was right on my tail. He was destroying my plane, and I couldn't even concentrate to fight back. Then, what I feared, a fatal blow to my plane started to bring me down. All of the things they had done to this competition. All the cheating and lying. I wasn't going down to a bunch of thieves.

I had a back up system with planes and blimps put in for show and joked that if I was ever losing, I would use them to defeat the entire team I was fighting. I was glad I had it, even if I thought I would never had had to use it.

"Gunships, converge on my position and destroy the cooper aircraft...send in a spare plane as well." I said into my plane's radio.

"Roger Baron, all units on route." Came the voice of my head mechanic, a goose by the name of Brian.

"Sorry Baron, but you will have to fight fair this year." That nasally voice again....no, he wouldn't have.

"What? Who is this? How'd you find this Frequency?" I yelled, and I turned to see all my gunship crashing into one big pile of rubbish. It was the work of Bentley, I was sure of it. And he was beating me. "What!? No! Desist, halt! I command it!" Then I see my new plane coming on the side. At least something is working for me. My current plane gave one last puff of smoke before completely dying.

"Gah! This plane has become unfixed. High time for an upgrade, I say" I said jumping onto the bigger plane.

"Oh, no you don't you weasel." The pilot of the Cooper plane said as he jumped on my replacement.

"Weasel, am I?" I have done no more then you, you rat, I thought.

"I beat you. Your biplane is in pieces." Only because of your nasty tricks.

"Ah, but we are both still airborne aren't we? The victor has yet to be decided."

"Then lets settle it." He pointed his cane at me. He was clearly the leader, Sly Cooper.

"Beware my boy, I've trained ten years at fisticuffs. Pugilism is my passion." In the disguise, I couldn't box well or fight with swords, so I was stuck with fisticuffs. It was good with power, one hit being able to knock out an average man. But the draw back was that you froze for a few seconds, after using all your strength. Cooper was no average man, and it would take quite a few hits to bring him down. I would lose if he was as good as they say.

"If you fight as well as you fly, then this shouldn't take long." He was as much of a show-off as they say.

"En Grade!" I threw up my fist.

After several minutes and sending the last of my remaining guards, he had me in a corner, hitting me in the face. That type of hit would have knocked anyone out, unless if you were wearing mounds of head gear, of course. The end of the cane managed to grab my goggles, helmet, and the mustache, and threw them hurling towards the ground. I was beat.

"Gaah, a fatal blow," was the last thing I said as a middle-aged bi-polar English man. After a few coughs, I said, "That's enough. You win, Cooper." he looked at me with surprise.

"Wait. You?...Your Penelope, the Baron's mechanic. No...you ARE the Black Baron!"

"Suppose someone was bound to find out sooner or later...I guess I'm kinda relieved." Well, really, really relieved.

"But...um, why?"

"Look, lets talk on the ground where its safe."

**.............................**

As the plane landed on the ground, everyone was surprised to see me in the Baron's outfit. I lead Team Cooper to the winners circle, ignoring the laughs from Team Canada and the stares from everyone else. I announced them as the winners of the ACES competition.

"So we are done with the whole Black Baron thing finally?" Frankie asked as he stepped on the stage.

"Finally!" I yelled with a laugh. We embraced in a hug.

"So," looking at all of Team Cooper, "where is Bentley?" Frankie asked as I started to get the rest of my disguise off. The bigger one, a hippo named Murray which I found out later, pointed to the one in the wheel chair.

"He's Bentley. And your Penelope?" I nodded while staring at the crippled turtle. Him staring back at me. I felt so stupid.

"Wow, and I thought I really exaggerated with your picture!" Frankie doubled over laughing until I kicked him, making the sloth fall off the stage.

After a few more moments of confused stares between the two of us, Bentley asked, "We, uhhh, would still love you to join us, if you still want to of course."

"Hey, I said you had to beat the Baron. It wasn't fair or normal the way you did it, but still, you beat me, so of course I will." I looked over my shoulder, and the one I was fighting up in the air, was pretty damn cute.

"Get up, idiot." I heard Ted yell at Frankie, who was still laughing on the ground. "Jeez, Kid. I never would have thought you to do this." The rest of the team nodded behind him. He grabbed me in a bear hug and whispered, "I will take care of the idiot back in Canada. You have fun with these boys. And don't be afraid to, ya know, fall in love." we both blushed when he said it.

**................................**

Hours later, everyone knew everything. The Cooper gang knew all about my flying experience and the tale of the Black Baron. Frankie packed the last of his things, happy to go home. Still depressed I wouldn't be going with him. "They said, as soon as Bentley comes up with a plan, I would being coming back only a few days afterwards." I said with a smile.

"Ya, ya." he gave me a hug before leaving. I picked up all my Black Baron stuff, and threw it into the nearest dumpster, tightened my gloves, ready to start my next adventure as part of the annoying jerks gang.

_____________________

Told you it would be long.....only 7 more chapters before this is over :[

Thz again to slylady345 for reading.....since she is the only one reading anymore *scowls at Penguins Are Teh POWER and The Good Thief * (still love you, sunshine! 10/12/2009)

And forgot to say thz to Jammin Jabala awhile back...thz!!!!! (P.S. this chapter was written July 5, 2009, now as I edit on October 12, 2009, the stranger known as Jamin Jabala became an awesome friend and writer (check out Murray's Past!!!))

Remenber, your reviews keep me motivated, even if you say it sucks, it will motivate me to make an awesome ending.........thz for reading again!!!!!!!!!!!


	15. Chapter 15

So I really hated how I did chapter 15...I really shouldn't write hyped-up on coffee...so I redid it....Ta-da

___________________________

**September 2, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
1:23 AM**

I looked at my watch. It was 1:23 AM. I yawned, watching Bentley, still wide awake after working 12 straight hours on his plans for the Time Machine. He only stopped for a few seconds when I popped an apple in his mouth. He grabbed the apple from his teeth, taking the apple, and smirked at me. As he ate, he re-did the calculations again on the chart he was working on.

He was really starting to scare me. Everyday, he spent some much time on building his Time Machine. It was so ironic.

Bentley had always been small; Sly and Murray were stronger, taller, and better built since they worked out whilst Bentley was studying when they were kids. Even when he out grew Sly and became 6'1", he was still much more skinnier and lacked a good body physique compared to his older brothers.

Now that all he did was sleep and work on the blueprints, he was becoming scary thin. Even the small muscles in his upper body, used when wheeling him around, were starting to diminish since all he did was stay in one place all day.

It scared me. I still couldn't do anything to help him. I felt like an idiot. Like those times I got caught by a dragon or Lefwee. Or when I almost got Murray killed, or when I almost got myself killed, when I would jump into something without thinking.

I got up and mumbled goodnight to Ben. I didn't bother changing, so I crawled into bed still wearing a pair of overalls and a yellow shirt. Even my work boots and gloves were still on. All those times that I made a mistake, I almost got everyone hurt. Almost got him hurt. What if I had even gotten him killed because of my mistake? I was more trouble then a was worth. Why he even bothered liking me after how I had treated him was beyond me. Compared to other girls, I wasn't pretty. Compared to the gang, I wasn't strong. Compared to him, I wasn't smart.

My head was spinning, I did not feel well, and I have always been just one big burden to everyone i had ever known.

I started to cry.


	16. Chapter 16

**June 9, 2004  
****Paris, France  
****8:32 PM**

I had been part of the Cooper gang for about 2 months now. Compared to living with Frankie, and Team Canada when it was not around time for ACES, they were more or less the same. Just as when me and Frankie first met up with Team Canada, it took some time for the guys to get used to me, but they warmed up to me quite quickly, treating me more like a part of the team then just the girl.

After I deceived them in Holland, I offered them a week long flight all over the country in my bi-plane to hopefully make up for it. Them seemed happy with my proposal. After that, I flew them to Paris, France, the base of their operations. It seemed while I was with them, my plane would not be need, since they liked to travel incognito, rather then a plane that is easily tracked at airports. Then, of course, my two swords had to be left behind, seeing that airport security might not like finding them in my duffle bag.

Other then the one problem, the gang was great. At first they were unsure how to deal with a girl around, but after telling them of my 6 years living with only, and disguised as a guy, they seemed to relax a little. And of course, they were a bit surprised when I said I was 21. Apparently, I looked like a teenager still. It took a lot of convincing to prove I was only two or three years younger then the main gang.

Murray was defiantly one of my favorites. He was funny, and so lovable. He reminded me of a really big, strong, straight Frankie. He was this huge hippo, that loved to watch wrestling. His Guru, a koala that was just as nice as his student, though sometimes I had no clue what he said. He was really down to earth, and meditated a lot. Murray would usually join him, when he wasn't doing his own training or watching television. It stuck as odd as to how these two got along so well, but it was sweet and somehow comforting to see such a bond.

Sly was the cutest one of them all, and my number one favorite. He was smart, strong, and, of course, sly. He was this lean, athletic raccoon, and loved to make his gang laugh, and one of his newest hobbies was to scare me or make me blush. The only bad part about him, I would say is his love interest, Carmelita Fox. But somehow, they had this clear bond: like Murray and the Guru, but more bothersome.

Then there was Bentley.

It was a bit odd. At first I though it was because of the pictures we had sent each other, but then he would always stare at me. Growing up as the "pretty, spoiled heiress" gave me this 6th sense. I could always just feel someone looking at me. I would be reading a book, or working on my RC things, when I would get that feeling. I would look up real quick, and sure enough every time, Bentley would move his head down real quick and blush. I wasn't sure why he did it, but it was pretty creepy.

Right now, I was reading _Angels and Demons_, one of the lesser known book by the famous author of _The Da Vinci Code_, Dan Brown. I sat on the ratty couch next to Murray, who was excitedly cheering on one of the two ornamented dobermans fighting on the television. Sly sat on the top of the back of the chair in a crouching position, cheering on the other Doberman in tights. The Guru sat silently in his corner, meditating as usual.

"Delightful, correct?" The nasal voice surprised me, making my head jerk up from my book. It was odd to see him so late at night. Usually, he spent from dusk to dawn on his Cooper Vault plans. He seemed a little distracted as he talked to me.

"Mhm. It is one of my favorites. The way he bring out all these controversies and how he is not afraid to keep writing them no matter what the public says just stuns me." I responded. He nodded, but again, looked rather distant. And again, he surprised. Usually, he would rebut whatever I say involving anything, making us tumble into yet another argument. Half the time, he seemed to be on the same side as me, but would just jump ship, just to fight me. He was good at debates, but it was clear he did not have the experience I had. Every night, I would fight with my dad back and forth on topics on everything. Ted always won, but against Bentley, I would win about half of our "discussions".

But now, he just stared at the television. Behind his large glasses, his eyes looked glazed over. He stayed there, staring, but not concentrating on the television, until a commercial came on. He gulped, turning to Sly. "Guys, I need you to look at something." Immediately, Sly and Murray got up and followed Bentley back into the bedroom, closely followed by myself and the Guru.

Bentley pulled out these charts, blueprints, and maps on the table and started talking. It looked like only me and Sly knew what Bentley was talking about as he explained. The other two seemed totally lost. He described how we would be able to get into the vault right now. Unfortunately, we could not get far safely. "So if we want to blow up the bridge to get you across safe, we are going to need a better demolitionist then me. Like a high-quality, full time demolitionist specialist, Sly." He stopped and looked directly at Sly.

Sly laughed. "Whatever you need, pal. Just make sure whoever we get doesn't play dress up. One is enough for the team." The gang laughed, and I blushed.

"It is a bit more serious that that, Sly. The only guy I can find is...well...Panda King." Sly looked shocked, and Murray looked like he was going to fall over.

"You can not be serious." Sly said, looking a bit faint himself.

"Sorry Sly, but there is no one else that I could find." Bentley looked guilty. I looked at the three guys, try to figure out what was going on between them and this man, Panda King.

"Panda King was part of the team that killed my parents when I was only 8." Sly said softly, answering mine, and the Guru's, questioning stares.

"We are in luck though." Bentley said, hoping that this would convince Sly to add Panda King to the gang. "It seems that he changed his ways since the last time we say him. He is currently a monk in Kunlun Mountain Range in China."

"Are you sure there is no one else?" Sly asked, sounding like he was hoping it was one big joke.

"We leave tomorrow, to find him." Bentley said as he grabbed all his papers, and started tacking them on the walls.

**.............................**

It was early when we finally got to Panda King's temple. I yawned, rubbing my hands together. It was cold, but nothing that Myself, Murray, Sly, and Bentley were not used to. The little purple koala was turning blue right in front of my eyes.

"Stay sharp team. For all we know, the Panda King is just as dangerous as ever." Sly said as he looked at the Meditating monk. It was hard to believe such a criminal lived here. I wasn't the only one to notice.

"How can you say that. Just look at him. Have you ever seen someone more a peace with the world." Bentley said to Sly.

"I'll admit. He does look kinda "zenned out."

Bentley started shouting up at the criminal. "Uh...Mr. King? Honorable Panda King we humbly wish to speak to you." Panda King did not respond, and stayed in the meditative position.

"Sorry Bentley. Looks like he doesn't want to talk. Let's go." Sly said, hoping to leave.

"Be realistic Sly. He's clearly in a deep meditative trance....hmmm, it'll take some doing, but I think I see a way to get the team up to his shrine." After he said that, I started looking around myself, trying to figure out the way he was thinking of. But I saw no way how to get up to the platform the Panda King was sitting upon.

"Good! The walk up here tired me out. I don't wanna turn around now. Man, I miss the van...we never had to walk anywhere back then." Murray said, lost quickly in though about his van. I was too busy trying to figure out how Bentley came up with a plan so fast then wonder about Murray's van.

"OK,OK, let's just get this over with." Sly said, extremely irritated now.

Bentley started explaining his master plan. "Murray, you're up first. If you can get to the top of that pillar, you should be able to use your ball move to bounce all the way up to Panda King."

"Ok. Bouncing is a lot easier then more walking. Seriously, do you guys wanna see my blisters?" For such a strong guy, he wasn't very athletic.

"No way....is he serious?" was all I could say. The Guru started to talk, telling Murray to keep a calm mind and focus at the task at hand.

"Yeah, okay master. Bouncing, pillars, piece of cake!" Murray said as he took off to do his job. The Guru talked to Bentley, saying it was hard to have to be so mean at times.

"I hear that. Sometimes you've got to be firm."

I gave up trying to figure out the plan, knowing I wasn't sure what the gang could do, so it was impossible to make a plan for us. Sly was standing next to me, so I decided to strike up a conversation with him. "No seriously. Was he for real about the blisters?" Sly turned to me, giving me a "did you really just say that" stare. Thankfully, Murray started yelling, stopping me from saying anything else.

"Ok, I'm in position!"

Bentley turned to me. "Ok, Penelope, your up next. I'm not sure if your aware, but Sly can jump onto small points. Those bamboo shoots would be an ideal means of ascent if they weren't spaced so far apart."

"Hold on, hold on...let me see if I can figure it out for myself." I started thinking. Bentley need my help, but with the ice being to thin to walk on...

"It's, uh...got to do with the ice." Bentley kept talking in my ear.

My RC car of course!! With its guns could splint them down the middle!! Hmm, might as well put this in Bentley talk. After months being with him, he always had a way with saying things that confused everyone but me and of course, Sly. "Ok, so clearly we need more points in order for Sly to ascend. The problem, where're we going to get them? The answer, split each shoot down the middle, thereby doubling the points of ascension. However, the ice down there appears too thin to walk on, so there's no way to do it by hand....So, I'll need to use my light-weight RC car to split the trees for us."

"Perfect...that's it exactly!" He seemed overjoyed that I had figured it out.

"Great! Anything for Sly. I would love to see him pull off those athletic moves." I sounded so smart, then mess it up. He practically has a girlfriend. Why was I so embarrassed around him? I quickly used my RC car to get the points needed. "There you go Sly. Hope it's everything you could have wished for." Please stop talking, retard....

"Um...thanks. It looks great." And now he thinks I am a complete idiot....again

"My pleasure, anytime really." Please just let me get struck by lightning now. Please do anything to keep me from talking...

"Uhh...Sly, isn't it time you climbed up there and joined Murray?" Bentley stated, sound really agitated. Thanks Bentley, hopefully now I'll stop talking like an idiot. It was my first mission with them, and I was kinda scared. No wonder why I was sounding like a love-struck elementary school student. Still, I need to stop babbling. It was ridiculous.

"Yeah, sure." Sly said, both of us a bit confused at what Bentley was agitated at, and he jumped off the cliff we were standing on to go jump on the bamboo shots.

Once Sly got to the top with Murray, Bentley yelled "Whack the supports up on those pinwheels."

"Really?" was all Sly yelled back.

"Pinwheel destabilization is the cornerstone of this plan!" I was really confused now. I was much better at improving and designing cars and computer systems, not coming up with plans.

"I'm all done up here!" Sly cried back again.

Bentley started talking. In the past, he probably did it just out of a habit, not having anyone listening to him, but I listened to every word, trying to find out his plan. "Excellent! Now that the pinwheels are unstable, I just need to light them up with my darts. One shot per rocket should do the trick." Even when talking to himself, he left out major parts of information, like what he was planning on doing with the pinwheels. "Those pinwheels are about to go. Guru, up for a challenge?" Bentley yelled down when he was on one of the pillars he was on.

The Guru said something about controlling the guards. "That's right. You should be able to 'persuade' the guards to help you get up to those rockets." After the Guru did what he needed to do, a rocket came and hit one of the pinwheels. "Perfect! That should make an excellent make-shift elevator." It took some time to wake him up, and he was not happy to be seeing Sly.

After the rest of us got up near Panda King, he and the Guru looked right into each others eyes, with the Guru standing on Murray's back of course. The Panda King agreed to go because 1) the Guru was a very spiritual person, like himself, and 2) his daughter was kidnapped by General Tsao and was going to be forced into marriage. If the gang helped free his daughter, he would agree to help us. So the gang, Bentley forcing Sly to do it, headed to help Panda King.

**......................**

After some recon of Tsao's family temple with my RC chopper, I found an odd signal, over in the river. I informed Bentley about it, and he told Murray to go see, and I was to guide Murray to the signal. Murray left immediately to check it out before getting to dark. I stayed on the roof with my equipment, tired of Bentley looking over my shoulder in the safehouse, making sure I was doing okay.

"The mysterious signal I picked up was somewhere out on the water's surface." I told Murray over the binocucoms. I didn't like using them, but they gave me a clear shot of what Murray saw, and what he said. They always made me dizzy though, with the constant, uncalculated movement.

"I'm not seeing anything."

"Keep scanning, these readings are clear." he looked out a little longer, before replying.

"Great snakes on a stick! I don't believe it!" Seeing what Murray saw, the only thing I could see was a block of ice floating in the water. I had no clue what Murray was so excited about.

"What? You found the signal?"

"It's the team van! Last time I saw it, it was floating away on a block of ice in Canada....and now it's here!" Oh, the van he mentioned earlier. I checked the ocean currents, seeing it was possible.

"Highly probable given ocean currants."

"I got to go get it! Don't worry baby, Mama's coming!"

"Don't even think about swimming, Murray. That water is freezing. You wouldn't last a minute." I was worried. If I didn't think of something, he would go swimming for it and freeze to death.

"But...but my baby?!"

But my RC chopper should help, I thought. I smiled as I told Murray my plane. "Hold your position. I should be able to drag the van to you using my RC chopper."

"Bless you, Penelope! Bless you and your bag of remote controlled gizmos." After several minutes of guiding the van using my chopper's hook, I brought it to Murray. The entire time, Tsao's men attack, and now they were heading for Murray's position. Through the camera in my chopper, I saw the entire van covered in ice. It would be hard to get the ice off and get rid of the man after him.

"Oh my sweet van, how I missed you. Don't worry, I'll break you out of your icy prison." he started punching at the ice.

"Careful Murray! The locals seem to be onto you." They came closer, attacking Murray, but the big guy knock them out easily with a punch or two. But if this continued, Tsao was sure to notice and come after him and his van...er...baby. "It's no use Murray, this area is to dangerous. We have to recover the van later."

"But...I can't lose her again!" I felt so bad. He really cared about his van; Then I saw more men coming. I shook my head. There was no way.

"Forget the van, you'll never make it!"

"But...no, NO! Either help me or get out of my way...I'm bringing her home." I had to help. It was like when Peter jumped in a dumpster to protect what I loved. I had to protect Murray. Thinking fast, I found a possible way to protect Murray.

"Ok, Murray. I got a little fuel left, keep pulling as hard as you can. I'll try to clear the way." for several minutes, he pulled as I took out the men with my hook. About the same time I was about to run out of fuel, spikes, 6 feet high, came up blocking Murray's path with the van. He could get past the spikes in the opening, but the van was much to wide.

"Sorry Murray, but I'm out of fuel, and I can't do anything about those spikes in your way."

"But we're so close!" he sounded like he was going to break down in tears.

"You did your best....we just ran out of options."

"She's right, Murray, it's hopeless. Get out of there....save yourself!" Bentley's voice came on the binocucoms, try to convince Murray to leave.

"I will not....I will NEVER leave her behind again!"

"Words that tear at a father's heart, would that I had such passion when they came for my little Jing King." Panda King's voice came from behind me on the roof. He grabbed a bunch of fireworks, aiming them at the spikes and the people wishing to hurt Murray.

"Careful with those fireworks, Panda King! One could really hurt Murray!" Was all I could say. It wasn't the first, or the last time I was to weak to help. I wasn't smart enough to come up with a plan to talk to Panda King. Or strong enough to protect Murray and something he loved. I couldn't even protect myself when I was fighting Sly on the airplane or even with that pervert Evan. I was trained to protect myself and others (mostly Frankie) and all that training was becoming worthless. After several minutes, Murray came back, overjoyed with his van.

"Murray! You did it! You saved the van." Was all I said, still deep in my thoughts.

.........................

After finding a battery that could be used for the van, I found a strong box. I called up Murray to get into position. I was excited with the find, knowing this would be a major help. "Hey Murray, check it out. That strong box should be the prime router for the hard wire phone lines."

"Yeah, hard phone lines." He had absolutely no clue what I was saying. It reminded me so much of Frankie. I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"You're the only one strong enough on the team to open it. Crack the lid and I'll be right down to reroute the wires. With some luck we'll be able to listen in on Tsao's conversations." I packed the last of my bag, heading to Murray's position as I talked.

"Sure, Penelope. Easy for a muscle man like myself. Just keep clear and let old Murcules work." Over the binocucoms, I saw from his point of view as he lifted the covering, and a puff of green smoke covered Murray. "That's...bad...gas!"

"Murray!" I yelled, sprinting as fast as I could to reach him.

But I wasn't fast enough. Tsao's men surrounded the passed out Murray, and tied him to a cart of fireworks. I saw this from the bridge. I had been to slow. Murray stirred, waking to see his predicament. He started struggling, but didn't succeed. They started dragging him away. They were going to blow him up.

"This is all my fault!" I fell to my knees. All of this. I couldn't save him. Bentley and the guru were all the way back at the safehouse and Sly and Panda King were across town on a mission. I had failed my friend. Tears fell freely from my eyes.

"Penelope! Don't give up! Your...umm...RC car!" I heard Bentley's voice over my binocucom. He sounded despite to save his friend, yet he could do nothing. But he was good at coming up with plans.

I grabbed my RC car from my bag, and set it on the ground. For some reason, Tsao's men left a trail of gunpowder, and then lit it. If I could get to the mountain top with my car before the flame got there...

"Hang in there Murray, I'm coming." Using my RC car's camera, I got the RC car to make it to make it up the mountain. He was freaking out, and I still was not sure how to get him off the fireworks. Then I saw the frozen ice. "Hold tight big guy. This might be close!" I fired a laser at an icicle, making it land on the flame on the gunpowder line to keep the fireworks from going off. Murray was elated.

"Yes! The Murray lives! I will never forget you brave little RC car, we will be friends forever! You can ride in my van!" Once I heard that over the binocucoms, Bentley started exclaiming, saying how amazing that was and making sure Murray was okay. I fell to my knees again, scared at how one mistake almost cost him his life. Murray grabbed the savior gizmo, making his way down the mountain, seeing me. He kneeled down next to me. "Jeez, Penelope. You saved me. You don't even want to know how many times I ended up in tight positions because of Sly and Bentley. I trust them because they always save me, and never mean to get me in trouble" He smiled and gave me a huge bear hug.

"Thanks Murray." I said, as he pulled me up, though I was still a bit shaken about what had happen. It seemed I was more trouble then I was worth.

**.......................**

"Opening a door for a lady, and some say chivalry is dead." Was what I said to Sly. Me and Murray were waiting outside the temple, waiting to be let in by Sly, who snuck in.

"I try to show my 'proper respect'. You guys going to be OK in here? The security is tight." Sly said with a grin, looking at me. At least I didn't sound like a total moron that time.

"Yeah, we're fine. You need to get moving if you're going to make your rendezvous with the Panda King and the Guru."

"Always a slave to the schedule, that's me." Sly cried as he left the temple.

"What's the plan?" Murray turned to me. A doorway full of yellow lasers stood between us and the treasure we were suppose to get.

"According to the blueprints, there's a security computer on the far side of the room under the dragon statue. I should be able to destroy it with my RC car, provided I don't trip any of the blue security beams along the way, and the yellow lasers will disappear." It didn't seem much worse then a simple bank heist with Team Canada. That seemed like ages ago, when I actually felt useful.

Murray, misunderstanding my frown, thinking this would be hard for me. "'Blue' security beams? Man...this is tense." I shook my head, and got to work. After speeding through the course and gunning down the main computer, the blue security beams disappeared, the laser door to follow.

"That should do it. The laser doors should be going...away?" The blue lasers were gone, but the yellow lasers stayed lit.

"They must have another computer, or something." Murray suggested. Again, a feeling of uselessness surrounded me.

"But! There was only supposed to be one. The security nodes are still active.....If the second computer fully boots up, there's no way we'll get in." I started getting frustrated. It was my job, and I messed up.

"Penelope. I have been doing this a long time. If there's one thing I've learned is that when the plan gets messed up, always fall back on the golden rule." Murray said, looking at dead seriously.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Break stuff!" he yelled with a smile. That wouldn't work. It was a stupid idea.....

"You.....you're right! If I can destroy all the security nodes before the other computer comes on-line, that laser door should deactivate."

"Less talk, and more breakery!" I hurried, using my RC car to break all the nodes, and then the yellow laser door disappeared.

"Yes!" I yelled, and jumped into the air a little bit.

"Wow, you're pretty good at breaking stuff....I, uh, I can respect that." Murray said looking at me, with a smile.

"Thanks pal....let's go get that treasure." As we raced into the treasure room, I saw the defense.

"Looks like a double lever trap door....On my 3....1, 2, 3! Yes! We're in!" Murray stayed up on the main level, as I jumped into the hole, filled with amazing treasures.

"What do you see...is it awesome?"

"There's plenty of loot, but the foundation looks pretty rotted out...totally unstable." I replied, pointing my flashlight at the rotten wood. Over the binocucoms, I heard Sly.

"Hey Murray, Tsao's on his way to your position. How are you coming with the treasure?"

"We're doing awesome! Stand aside Penelope, CANNONBALL!"

"NO, WAIT!" But it was to late, Murray jumped, taking the foundation with him.

"Uh-o...." was all he said. The foundation swayed a little, before collapsing, sending us to the roof of the house below the temple. I heard Bentley over the binocucoms.

"Ok guys. Parachute down the treasure to me. I'm ready!" The temple fell, almost crashing onto Bentley who waited to get the treasure on a roof a few meters away from the temple. He thankfully dodged the falling building just in time. "Murray!" was all he yelled, gasping for breath when he landed.

Tsao walks around the corner, seeing the temple destroyed. "My family temple...Destroyed?! Never have I suffered such an outrage! You shall pay!!" he turned to me and Murray, and Murray turned around right away.

"Eat it Tsao, I broke your temple, and I'll break your face for messing with the Cooper Gang." He yelled. I was still in shock from the fall, and barley made the full turn to look Tsao in the face.

"You cannot hurt me."

"Oh yeah? Heads up Bentley. Treasure chest comin' down!" Murray kicked the last of the treasure down, barely missing Bentley's head. By now, Bentley glowered murderously at his brother.

"The outrage! Stone dragon of the Temple, I summon you...from rock to flesh, aid the family Tsao in this hour of need."

Out of nowhere, a giant red dragon came and blew a fire ball at Murray. "Sweet Strawberry Shortcake!" was what he yelled as he jumped.

Guess who was to shocked to move, and was grabbed by the dragon: Yeah...me. "No! Let go of me!" I started to struggle, but it wouldn't let me go. It was the first and last time I was ever scared of flying.

"Ha-ha, the Tsao family is master in this place! Hear me, Sly Cooper! My lineage surpasses yours in every way!" I heard Tsao yell at Sly.

"It's not about the family name, pal...it's what you do with it." Sly jumped up and somehow defeated the dragon after a few minutes. It was all a blur to me. "Feel like making an exit?" he pointed to me to get on his back, and we parachuted down. But not before I could make a fool of myself yet again that week.

"My hero."

____________________

Sorry about chapter 15...remember, I changed it...so if you haven't yet, read the new revised Chapter 15.

Thz again for all that read...and even more to who which reviews this....


	17. Chapter 17

**September 2, 2005  
****New York City, New York, USA  
****5:57 AM**

It was early in the morning, when I woke up, being strangled by Bentley. It was odd. I did not remember waking up when he had gotten into bed. I wrestled out of the death grip and walked past a full length mirror that had a closet behind it. I looked a mess. My eyes were all red and swollen. My clothes were all wrinkled. My hair was all mashed down under the bandanna Frankie gave me. My fur was plastered to my skin. And my feet hurt from sleeping in my shoes along with my tail which wounded stuck in my overalls last night.

I took a rather long, hot shower, being careful to not wake Ben up in anyway. I felt like I had barely slept, maybe only a few minutes top, not a few hours. My memories came floating back, about how useless I was. I went into the kitchen and sat in a chair. I was too confused to think straight. All the times I messed up, came right into my head. The worst of it all was being kidnapped by Lefwee....

I thought I had only sat there for a few minutes, but then a tap from behind me shook me into reality. It was around one in the afternoon now. Bentley was up, and looked at me in confusion. "What is the matter? I have been calling you. Are you feeling ok?" He looked up at me as he pretty much yelled into my ear. He sounded extremely stressed and angry, and looked kinda looked the same when Lefwee had a sword to his throat. A face that said he was truly scared, horrified, and not sure what to do. "I tried waking you up last night, but all you did was moan in your sleep. You really scared me." I could imagine him, trying his best to make sure everything was ok with me. I looked around the kitchen, noticing medicine, a thermometer, and a medical book sitting on the counter. He had tried to find something...anything wrong with me. He probably feel asleep from pure exhaustion, holding me, when he found nothing wrong.

I rolled off the chair into his lap hugging him around his neck. I layed my head on his shell, cling to him, never wanting to let go. "I'm so sorry Ben. I didn't mean to make you worry." He was doing everything he could to make his invention work. He didn't need to be taking care of me, too.

I am nothing but a useless, bothersome pest.

Apparently my thoughts spilled out of my mouth in a whisper. A soft whisper of his nasally voice filled my ear. "Without you, we never would have opened the vault. You truly cared about the gang, and wanted to help any way you could. You saved me. Eventually I would have meet up with Lefwee, we were both too smart for our own good, and I am glad to had have you by my side." He stopped to take in a breath. "Your RC gadgets helped be with the basic idea of the Time Machine. If it had not been for them, I would still be trying to find out the structure and interior needed for a Time Machine. You have done so many other things, but one of the greatest things you did for me...well, the entire gang really...was get a grouchy, know-it-all weakling to fall in love, and actually fight for what he wanted for a change."

I lifted my head, staring into his deep brown eyes, and I felt like we were back on Lefwee's ship. After I had defeated him, I ran over to Bentley. I could barely keep from crying knowing I had almost gotten him killed: Then, he told me he loved me. Even after all the trouble I caused, he still told me he loved me, right then and there. It was crazy, yet I was jubilant.

Ted always told me, that you have unlimited power when you find the right cause. I thought it was crazy, but how I fought Lefwee, and won, proved something. And I just was not sure what it was until right now. I smiled looking up at him. He smiled back, pulling me in for a kiss. And all I could think was something so simple, it was stupid for me not to realize earlier:

He was my cause. I may not be able to build a Time Machine....

....but I could protect the one who was.


	18. Chapter 18

**June 23, 2004  
Somewhere in China  
1:32 AM**

"Are you sure your okay?" Bentley asked worried.

"For the millionth time mother, I am fine." I said sourly. Sly gave a muffled laugh before Bentley glared at him to shut up. We sped through China, making as much room between us and Tsao. Murray drove like a madman for about twenty minutes, while Panda King consoled his daughter, and Bentley bugged me.

Bentley sighed, turning his attention to Murray, and the steep cliff we were currently driving on. "We should only be a few hours from Panda King's sister's house. You good with driving, buddy?"

"This is no problem for, The Murray!" All of us were quiet for a few minutes, when the Guru yawned. Next thing I knew, I was really tired, and yawned myself. And like clockwork, everyone was yawning. Panda King, Jing, and the Guru fell asleep within minutes. I started dozing as well, and finally just collapsed in my seat, leaning onto the guy next to me....

**...........................**

**July 9, 2004  
****Paris, France  
****4:23 PM**

It had been a few weeks since we saved Jing, and Panda King joined the gang. When I had first came it was awkward, but the entire gang got used to me within a week. But Panda King never let down his guard, leaving the rest of the gang to be up-tight, especially Sly. Even when he dropped Jing off with his sister, he was as cold as ever.

Weeks went by, with Bentley always trying to go over the plans, trying to come up with something. Once, when he took a break, well...threw one of his gadgets across the room and left the safe house screaming he needed air, I looked over them. He had thought of everything. He even had plans ready to use that would work, but put to much risk on the gang. He really cared about us, and even Panda King. I couldn't believe the pressure he was under. He started these plans six months ago, and I knew he felt he like he was getting nowhere.

But he was really starting to become paranoid, more now then he used to. He had usually stared at me, but now he seemed to just stay by my side at all times and now he would always get irritated with Sly. Sly would say a joke, and Bentley would just snap at him. The guys of course knew nothing that was going on, but as anyone knows if you lived as a teenage girl, he was jealous. I felt so stupid for not noticing it sooner. He didn't like the fact I had a crush on Sly and not him. I didn't say anything, and just played dumb, but he got more and more irritated everyday.

As I worked on my RC car, Bentley started cursing at his computer. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked at him. Sly was the first to respond. "You okay, Bent?"

He replied bitterly to Sly, not moving his eyes off the computer screen. "It's Dimitri, and he wants us to help him." I got up, and looked over his shoulder along with the rest of the gang.

I checked the screen, and Bentley's "real" picture was still being used. I looked at the picture of the guy Dimitri, and he looked really familiar.

**Greasysweet1: **Yo bro, you downloading what I beam you?  
**Spex_Guy: **uhh...yeah what do YOU want  
**Greasysweet1: **hey, calm the static! I ain't doing the message to smash open your chops.  
**Spex_guy: **I'm listening... Make it quick!

"Where have I seen him before." I stated, getting a closer look at the computer.

"Uhh...he was part of the KLAWW gang a few years back." Bentley stated rather nervously.

"Oh right, you guys fought them almost 4 years ago right? Team Canada was really happy when they were finally gone. I think this guy's picture was in the papers a few times."

"Well, you should no him from....OWWW!" Murray started talking, but was cut short by Sly stepping on his foot. I looked at them, rather confused.

"Uh...look, Dimitri's typing again." Sly said, avoiding my gaze.

**Greasysweet1: **hey it's cool bro, it's totally cool!  
**Greasysweet1: **but don't forget that it was the sweet badness of Dimitri that had you back in Holland!!

"What did he do in Holland?" I glared at Bentley, since he was most likely to come up with the plan. They knew I was pissed with them for messing with the ACES competition, so they never told me the actual plans they used to do everything. Dimitri, or Aaron Anderson, was our announcer for the year at ACES, meaning as a worker, he knew a lot of information about the competition. "Well?"

"He...uhh...told us were would could find the flight rooster." Bentley replied, all of the guys hoping they could just disappear.

"And then you used it to mess with the other teams, so you would make it to the finals with just one plane." I glared at Bentley, because the only way to steal the plans was at night. And the only one that would be able to get through my security was him. But with the drawbridge up, he got Sly to climb up and throw down my... "Where is my catapult?" The tone in my voice scared all of them. They didn't notice that Dimitri responded.

**Greasysweet1: **that is the reason for why I transmit to you. The coin has flipped bro. It's time to return favor.

**........................**

"Wow, baby. You look almost as greasy sweet as me!" I was starting to understand his odd username. Dimitri showed up to the safe house in no time, and told us that we were going shopping. Glad that he got to work with one girl, he, and the others, managed to force me into his suit with my hair done up. I looked in the mirror past Dimitri and the rest of the gang, seeing me dressed as something my mother would approve. I turned facing the gang, their eyes just all staring. Bentley's mouth just wide open.

"Wow...we are so playing dress-up some more once we get back." Sly said jokingly and I blushed.

"Jeez Penelope, why do you always were those overalls? You look great!" Murray said, and the others agreed.

"Long story, but we better hurray if we want to make the ship. It leaves soon." As always, the boys started to focus at the task at hand, thankfully Bentley was focused on Dimitri's story to stare at me...too much. I sighed, since at least he was not glaring at Sly too much now.

Dimitri told us about his grandfather that used to scuba-dive around Blood Bath Bay. He made a fortune, but another pirate stole his loot and scuba-equipment. He wanted us to help find it.

**................................**

"Ok Penelope. I'm in position with your hover-spectrometer. I'll launch the device and you scan for metal structures that resembles a safe or a chest, anything the treasure map might be stored in."

"Rodger Bentley, let's light this candle." Me and him were on a mission to find the map to where Dimitri's loot was hidden. Bentley was with my spectrometer and I was at the safe house controlling it with my computer. With Sly's field work, he found out another pirate had taken the map to Dimitri's grandfather's treasure. His name was Captain Lefwee.

"Be still my heart!...she made an obscure NASA reference! Why do the girls always have to go for Sly! It's just not fair!" Oh boy, he forgot to turn of his ear piece. It was kinda cute, I thought smiling.....wait, what? I shook my head, pretending I had not heard anything.

"What was that? I didn't read ya?"

"Uh...nothing. I was just saying that we've got fair winds for lift-off." Yeah, Bentley, that's what you said. "Let's do it." I plugged in a few numbers, and the spectrometer started to look for readings.

"The data's coming in. it's catching in the spectrometer's matrix." out of nowhere, a pirate that worked for Lefwee fired his gun at my spectrometer. "No...we haven't downloaded yet!"

"Ah! the pieces are still intact!" Bentley said, switching to his binocucom, and I grabbed mine.

"The disk is shattered, but we can still retrieve the data."

"But it's broken and I rig all my gear to self destruct if anyone tries to take it after a malfunction."

"The disk tries to self-destruct itself if someone tries to pick it up." Bentley though it over for a few seconds. "A-ha! What if we could read the disc's contents before picking them up?"

"Right! I could use my RC car to go out and collect the data. It's got the same code base as the disc and should be able to download its contents!" It was truly amazing how smart he was. He is really lucky to have had a teacher like Sly. I grabbed my car, and quickly retrieved the data from the seven pieces of disk. "That does it! We should have all of the spectrometer data!" I race down off the roof I was using to control my RC car and joined Bentley.

"Hold on...hold on...I got it! There is a massive chest near the top east facing windows, let's go!"

We ran to Lefwee's island, and then I saw there was no way in. "This Lefwee guy is really on it. He must have seen the disc and raised all the bridges to the fort. There's no way in."

"I've dealt with guys like this before. They can't really trust their own men, so they always keep an escape route handy... You just have to look around a little." Wow, I really never would have thought of that.

"Wow, Sly's really taught you a lot." I said, complimenting him. Apparently he didn't think much of my praise, and looked rather irritated.

"Sly? We're a team if you haven't noticed, I'm the brains of the operation. He's just the field man." he spat out, glaring at me. As he said it, I started looking back at our past missions. Really when I thought only me and Sly understood Bentley, it was just me. Sly really just stood there and nodded. But still, it was a harsh thing to say about someone that was as close as a brother.

"Just "the field man"? Sounds like your jealous."

"Yeah...well...I wish I wasn't in this chair. I wish I could run on tightropes and jump on flag poles and all that stuff. But I can't." he looked down, depressed. I felt horrible.

"But you can do other stuff. Sly can't rewire a satellite or write ASCII code."

"Sly can't even spell ASCII." he looked up, as he said he little joke. I laughed and he smiled.

"Yeah...he's not the most technical guy. Hey, lets get moving. We won't find the back entrance just standing around." I started looking around, realizing what I said. I sounded like an idiot again, but it wasn't in front of Sly. "Oh!....uh, sorry about that standing comment."

"Gimme a break Penelope, it's just an expression." He smiled, making me giggle a little. We started looking all over, until we saw Lefwee yelling in a courtyard at his men.

"Shh...that must be Lefwee. Let's get up to where no one will spot us."

"Agreed." I jumped onto the roof, and Bentley followed.

"I'll tell ye something, by thunder, that disc in the sky was just the beginning!" Lefwee started talking.

"But sir, 'tis gone. Them bridges is up and all's clear as morning." his First Mate responded.

"Sure, sure. Every man's entitled to thar opinion." he took his sword and thrust it at his First Mate. The man fell over the edge into the ocean. I cover my mouth to keep from making any sound for the poor man. Bentley's gloved hand covered my own hands, making sure I did not scream. It was somewhat comforting. "But I don't want to hear no more of 'em, Second mate Jones!"

"Yes sir!" Another man appeared.

"You're now promoted to cap'n of the guard."

"Thank you sir!"

"Double the patrols and keep an eye out...there's a storm blowin' in. I'll just be inside torturing the prisoners. Call out if you need...help." he said the last word with such a glare on his face. It meant don't come and get me.

"No sir! I mean aye-aye sir!" Lefwee left. More guards come out to protect the door.

"We can't get inside with these pirates guarding the door. Time for a little swashbuckling." Bentley whispers, pointing to tell her to wait up here. I still felt bad about earlier, so I stayed, letting him prove he could protect people. He was actually a pretty good fighter in that chair. We walked through the front door seeing the chest. It was covered in all sorts of traps.

"This must be it. I've never seen a security chest so think with traps." Bentley commented.

"I dunno. Looks pretty straight forward. If I had my spanner set, this would be a cinch." I replied. It looked simple. I might be able to do it without my spanner set.

"Really? Let's head back to the safe house and get your tools."

"I'd like to stay here if you don't mind and study it some more." He did not look to sure, leaving me alone, but he left reluctantly.

"Sure, I'll be back in a flash.." A few minutes later, I hear Bentley again over my microphone. "I've got your spanners and I'm on my way back." Then I saw the easiest was to open the chest.

"Great!...but I think I've already got it." I opened it and took out the map, placing it in my back pocket. "This is it! The Dagger Island treasure map!" I think Bentley was about to say something when this sparkly dust shot up, under my glasses, blinding me. "Ah! My eyes! I can't see...some kind of blinding dust!" I started walking around, Bentley silent, probably trying to figure out a plan. Then I fell out the window, defiantly one thing I never want to do again. I got up, knowing I couldn't stay in one place for long. "Whoa!, I'm ok, but I think I fell down near the front door. I can't get back to the safe house with the bridge still raised."

"I'll save you...I'll...think of something. Perfect! I'm sure she won't mind if I take the turret off her car." Great, he was going to take apart my car. How is this going to help?!

"Hurray Bentley! I'm getting kind of scared here."

"Hang tight! I've got a new and improved Grapple-Cam on the way." After several minutes of being lead to the safe house using the grapple cam that could take down bridges as well as make some pretty bad bird calls, I was safe.

"Penelope!" I actually heard his voice and almost cried.

"Bentley?! Thank you, I was really scared there for a bit. You saved my life." Even with the powder in my eyes, I knew he was blushing.

"There now, let's get you inside and make sure that dust has no permanent effects." Thanks Bentley, I thought. You really are a great guy that doesn't need fancy moves to be important.

**........................**

We hid inside the boat, as Sly, Murray and, Bentley steered the stolen boat out of the harbor to Dagger Island were Dimitri's treasure was. It took Sly about half an hour to figure out the map and find the treasure. When he did, Dimitri was the first to speak up.

"Gran Pa-pa's treasure! Hold the beat, bro. I come to help you dig, dig?"

"We're all coming Sly...This is too cool!" Murray said as an excited little kid.

After about an hour of digging the treasure up, Sly said "Well, Dimitri, it's your loot. I think you should have the honor."

"I open with Joy. You Cooper gang is a tight groove....Van Gogh Bull's eye! The primo diving gear to accentuate my deep down diving style." Dimitri pulled out all kinds of diver stuff.

"It's so intricate. Your grandfather was and artist. I've never seen such fine craftsmanship." I commented at looking at the diving gear. The only problem was that the gear had been in the treasure chest for awhile, and smell horrible. I was the only one to notice the rank smell, and took a few steps back.

"He had the juice, check it! The gear even matched my suit. I can dance, dive, and accessorize." Oh boy, the suit was going to Dimitri's head. Suddenly, I felt cold steel to my throat. Again, I was to shocked to do anything, but shake in my boots as I turned looking at Lefwee.

"What else in in this chest?" Sly asked, no one noticing what was going on.

"Aye, let's get a good look! Avast Lubbers! Didn't think ye could steal from the smartest man on the seven seas, and not taste the repercussions! Har, har, har! I might have been late for the opening of the chest, but I'm just on time for the stealing on the gold." Lefwee said, grabbing a tighter hold of my arm, and pulling the sword closer to my face, barely touching my skin.

Sly was the first to come out of shock and say something. "Let Penelope go! We can work out a deal."

"Penelope be the lass's name...Purdy as a sonnet. And what a rich sweet scent from the wrench's hair!" Lefwee took a big sniff of my hair, unfortunately noticing my raspberry shampoo I used.

"Let's thump this chump." Murray said pounding his fist together. I wanted to yell no, and that he would just kill me if you guys move. Unfortunately, nothing came out of my mouth. Fortunately, someone was always thinking.

"No! He'll hurt her....this guy's a killer." Bentley said, stopping Murray and the rest of the gang in their tracks.

"Aye, ye summed me up with but a word...killer. Away with ye, back to your ship. This gold is mine now or her death is yours...take yer choice."

Sly looked at Bentley, and Bentley shook his head. "Guys, we don't have any options here. Everyone, back to the ship."

"You can't just abandon me! Help please! I'm so scared." I had always been a bother, constantly getting people in harm's way. But they couldn't just leave me.

"Penelope, do what he says, stay alive...we will save you." Bentley said, reassuring me. I knew I had to get a hold of myself. I needed to be able to think straight, and not be so scared. I knew they would come back for me. And even if they didn't, I could still get out by myself, if I thought about it....hopefully.

"I trust you..." I said looking right a Bentley's eyes. He looked more scared then me...

"And I trust ya still plan on luggin' back to yer ship. Away with ye, NOW!!"

**........................**

I was dragged back to his ship and given a choice. Become his lover, or be chained to a wall. I choose the latter. Before being locked up, the men were told to dress me into something "Purdy." After kicking a few of them hard in the face whenever they came anywhere near me, they shoved me into this dank closet where I could change myself. It was a simple blue dress and a brown corset. When I walked out, I was meet with whistles and more swords to my neck.

I was then locked into this hole in the middle of the ship. A grate over top of me showed the sunny day. My wrists were chained to the wall, so the only position I could be was standing. All the other times I had gotten captured or made a mistake, it only lasted a few minutes tops. I had been in this hole for hours. And there was only one thing I kept thinking about, and I wasn't sure why. The way he would describe heists, making everything little thing so important. The slideshows he would come up with were filled with hours of work and plans. The way that he sounded when he said "Genius with a capital G", or "howdy", or even "BOOYAHHH". Even "gig" sounded amazing.

And his eyes....they were such a brilliant shade of brown. They were hidden by these big, horn-rimmed glasses, but even those were really cute.

I tried to pull against the wall again, but it was no use. I felt like the chains were starting to get looser from my wrists, but I wasn't 100 percent sure. I could just be imagining things.

Then the boat shook. It was being attacked.

"Destroy their vessel!" Lefwee started yelling more commands until I heard a big bang. Through the grate, I saw the main mast fall over. "Get the lass. Make sure she doesn't say a peep." The First Mate I had seen earlier, came in pointing a sword was at my throat. Clearly a sign not to say a word.

"Really Cooper, a bad choice boarding a ship packed with over 100 solders. Sure your cane is up to the task of cracking all our skulls?" I heard Lefwee shout. Sly was here to save me. Then I stopped. No way Sly could fight them all. What is Bentley planning?

"I don't know about all of you, but yours I can manage."

"Restrain this man, and keep away from the enemy vassel. This smells of lubber trickery. Take heart boys, been awhile since we witnessed a good plank walkin'."

"This plank's has splinters in it. I thought a prissy sailor like you would take pride in his ship."

"Oh now, I take a great deal of pride working splinters into feet of those about to walk my plank.

'Tis the extra touches that make a difference." What was Sly doing. It seemed he was on the plank, making fun of Lefwee?

"Your crew doesn't like me much, Lefwee. Where'd you find them? A charitable home for crossed-eyed deviants?" Great, he really is trying to get himself killed. The First Mate next to me growled a little.

"Hear that shipmates! The condemned man labeled ya wastes skin. how's that sit with yah?"

"Stick him!" Yelled a man.

"Tear the meat from his bones!" yelled another.

"Let's drink his blood!" Yelled the man beside me. I started shaking again. I was really getting scared again.

"It appears you're right Cooper, they are deviants."

"Making me 'walk the plank'? You're the pinnacle of creativity, Lefwee."

"I'm the smartest man on the seven seas, you...you...slanderous scabbard!"

"Stop it, you're hurting my feelings. More name calling like that, and I'm leaving."

"Cheap action movie dialogue won't get you out of this one Cooper. You're as good as dead, or my name's not Lefwee!"

"That's the best insult you could think of? I could do better in a coma...while speaking in a foreign language, to deaf apes!"

"Your word-smiting is preposterous, presumptuous, and patently premeditated. Time to put that slack tongue to use, like giving the sharks something to chew on!"

"You've got a real knack for pirate talk. Put two nonsense words together and...POW...scary pirate name calling!"

"You might be quick with the put downs, but who's got the hidden girl, Huh? Me! You'll never find her." Of course. It was simple, yet very tricky. Sly was to make fun Lefwee, who would tell him where I was hidden. I wouldn't be surprised if under the plank was Murray with the jolly boat ready for Sly to get the information.

"Hidden? A fellow like you couldn't hide a stick in the forest."

"I've got some skill in hiding my blade in lubber's guts. Fancy a demonstration?"

"Yeah, I suppose you'd have to keep her locked up. After all, if she got away, you'd NEVER get a date." I could not help but laugh a little, which was quickly silenced by the first mate's growl.

"It is true I have a 'strong personality,' but never had a problem with the ladies...especially when I have a broadside aimed at their sailboat...savvy?" Eww. The guard next to me snickered at my face full of utter repulsion.

"I'm not worried about Penelope. A girl tough as that will free herself by tomorrow morning, then steal your wallet." I tried really hard not to laugh, knowing what consequences might happen.

"Ha! That chick-a-dee will never escape my Skull Keep. She's locked up in irons and there she stay....until she agrees to love me, despite my faults." What? No!! Lefwee of course figured out the plan. He was going to get himself killed. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the grapple cam. He had a plan. The gang was going to save me. "Now be the time sharks lunched on yer parts!"

"You're the captain!" I heard Sly say as he jumped.

"What? The lubber's getting away! After him!" I could only wonder what Bentley was thinking of.

**.................................**

A loud explosion sounded somewhere from the main lands. I was by myself again, and trying to loosen the chains. "Ha-ha, the landlubber fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. Thinks he can out maneuver the smartest man on the seven seas? Ha-ha...not hardly. First Mate Jones!"

"Aye-aye captain!"

"Take a battalion of yer best man and raid the Cooper ship. There sure to be some lingering rats aboard."

"But...Sir?!"

"Don't cut me off whilst I'm speaking, or I'll cut ye off from breathing!"

"The Cooper ship is making for open waters, Sir!"

"Hmm...Rats indeed. Make full sail with what masts we got. If they make it out to sea, we'll never catch 'em!" What were they planning? Did Sly really get hurt because of me? Bentley knew I had been on the boat. What was going on?

"Aye-aye sir!"

"Blast, they'll make it out to seas with these winds! JONES!"

"Aye sir?"

"Load the cannons and prepare to come about. If the breeze don't help, we'll fall back on iron and powder! FIRE!!!" It sounded like the cannons hit the Cooper boat, and soon enough, I heard Lefwee talking to Bentley.

"Avast there! Afraid ye didn't quite make it out of the harbor. Ha-ha, prepare to surrender your vessel!"

"Sorry Lefwee, but I'm sure this water is deep enough." Deep enough? What was Bentley doing?

"Deep enough to be your grave!"

"Guru...Crusher...NOW!!"

"Ah! By thunder?!" Was all Lefwee said.

"'Tis Crusher...CRUSHER!!! We're doomed!" I heard the First Mate say, as all the men started running around, and I was left wonder what "crusher" was. All I heard was loud smacks on the boat, taking the men and throwing them. Through the gate, I saw these giant tentacles, but I had no clue what they really were. With all the shaking the monster did to the ship, the chains finally fell free from my wrists. All I had to worry about now was the grate, but then I heard him again.

"Done!" And the grate opened, with Bentley smiling down at me.

"Bentley! I...you...." I had no clue what to say. My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw him.

Then of course, when I wasn't focused, Lefwee jumps behind me and points his sword at me....guess where. "Call off you squid, or the girl gets it!"

"Back off Guru, I'll deal with this guy."

"Aye, that you have. Set me up to think I'd out smarted ya, then fooled me into the deep waters with this beast. I tip my hat to ye. You're the cleverest man I've ever had the pleasure of beatin'."

"You getting this Sly?" Bentley asked into his microphone. Suddenly, Sly parachutes down, grabbing me, and he grabs a rope to swing us into the ocean. At the same time, Bentley provided smoke cover. As we swung on the rope, Sly told me we were jumping. He let go of the rope, and I held on, seeing Bentley just laying on the ground of the boat, Lefwee going up to him, sword ready to launch into him. He saved me, and I was going to save him. It looked like they were talking and didn't notice me jump in, do a tumble roll and grab a sword.

"Gee-ah!" Bentley yelled as Lefwee's sword came down on him, hitting my sword instead of Bentley.

"No one touches that turtle, but me!" I said, with a much sternness and courage as I muster. And apparently, I mustered up something else other then the first two. I stepped closer to Lefwee, sword pointed at his head, to get him father away from Bentley. It was odd, with just one big sword, but I was sure I could use it fine enough to defeat him.

"Me pirate flower finally blooms! Yet ye'd favor this cripple over me? The smartest man on the seven seas?"

"I do like smart guys, but he beat you at your own game. You tell me who's more intelligent."

"Be still my heart, and quick my blade. 'Tis time for a duel! You and I will make the mating dance of death!" We ran at each other. We fought for minutes. I was quick, but the dress and the heavy sword was making it hard to keep up. Eventually, he managed to get me across my left forearm. He was a better sword man. He had me at the edge of the boat. As he crouched down, ready to give a final blow, I dropped my sword, used my speed to get behind him. The final swing he made at me was kinda like fisticuffs. Powerful, but stalls you for a few seconds. And in those few seconds, I was able to upper-kick him into the blue ocean below. He may be a better sword man, buy I had more tricks up my sleeves.

"Smartest man on the Seven Seas!!!!" was all he cried as he landed into the water below, filled with sharks. I did not look twice as he fell. I let the sword drop, and I turned to face Bentley.

I ran over to him, who was just sitting there, watching the fight. I smiled. He could have jumped back into his wheel chair, and easily interfere, and make sure I didn't get hurt. But he was to shocked to do or think of anything. I guess being that close to death does that to a person. I kneeled down beside him. "You ok?"

"Hmm...never better." As soon as I talked to him, he came out of his shock. He looked at my arm with a frown. "Your hurt."

"Just a flesh wound." I said smiling. He smiled back, before grabbing me, pulling me inward so my chest was next to his shell. He had one arm surrounding me, with the other holding my head. I moved my head up only centimeters, to complete the formation of our kiss.

It was better then any kiss a pretty, athletic boy like Andrew or Sly could give.

________________________

Finally...together...forever

only 3 chapters left btw....now i don't need to do research for the missions...the chapters will be more original and come out faster....

thz to all my reviewers....*glares at freeloaders that don't bother clicking ~review this chapter~*


	19. Chapter 19

**September 3, 2005  
New York City, New York, USA  
6:07 AM**

If I ever wrote a story about my life, make sure not to add this part. It is just to...predictable, I thought. It was early in the morning, and I was struggling to get out of the death grip....again.

After making him worry yesterday, he refused to work on the Time Machine. We ended up just hanging out, just watching TV and eating junk food. It was liking having the old Bentley again: the one not worrying about the Time Machine. I smiled, knowing I was looking forward to when he finished it. Right before I went to go to bed, I wheeled Bentley over to the Time Machine plans, and told him to work. He of course did as he was told, and then woke me up 2 hours ago, getting into bed.

I walking over to our closet, where inside had my duffle bag. It took quite a bit of work, but I finally reached to bottom of the bag which held a t-shirt and a pair of soccer shorts. I quickly changed, putting my hair in a simple ponytail, and walked onto the roof of our New York apartment. I tail twirled around my leg, not liking the cold weather of the early morning. My guess from earlier that night was right, and almost all the roofs had one person, or a group of people doing early morning work-outs. Luckily, my roof was free.

I did sprints, push-ups, pull-ups, kicks, punches, and anything else I could think of. I even practiced my fisticuffs. It was trying work, since last time I did this was with Frankie watching me laughing his head off. But I swear, even if I haven't done this in years, I felt my kicks and my punches were stronger then they had ever been. I knew it was because I was fighting for something....someone. The only two problems were I had no sparing partner and I couldn't exactly go onto the roof with swords in my hands. Even fake wood ones would freak out the city. Ted would be happy, that I was finally doing this.

But with a "mistake" Bentley made, I would soon fix both of these problems.


	20. Chapter 20

**July 15, 2004  
****Blood Bath Bay  
****5:23 PM**

We just stayed in that position for awhile. When we finally did break away from each other, he said, "I...um...love you."

"Really? I thought that was just a friendly make-out?" I answered with a smirk.

"Aww, how cute." We turned to see the entire gang behind us, Sly making the first comment. "I though you liked me! I'm so depressed now." He said with a laugh. Apparently, it was painfully obvious that I had liked Sly, as much as Bentley liked me. I smiled at Bentley, him already grinning at me. I already knew I was going to be made fun of the rest of my life about my school-girl crush on Sly. "So...when did this happen between you two..." Sly asked, looking rather nervously at Bentley. Bentley looked as his brother, his eyes no longer filled with daggers. He smirked. Moving to get into his chair.

"We should get out of here. We are defiantly not welcomed anymore." Bentley said, as he got situated him into his chair. We all jumped on the Cooper ship, and started to sail for Paris. "So, Dimitri, where do you want to be dropped off?"

"Dropped off? Sorry smart-one, but this greasy sweet bro is coming with you, comprendo?"

We all just kinda stared at him, still wearing his diving suit, and thinking he was the coolest thing ever. Sly shrugged, and decided to keep him on. The entire time, I tried really hard not to laugh at his new outfit.

**....................**

**August 31, 2004  
****Kapaau, Hawaii  
****11:12 PM **

Now with the boat, it was oblivious we could no longer stay in the Paris Safehouse. Setting up base in Kapaau, which was only 50 miles from Kaine Island, Bentley started working on the plans, saying that now with Dimitri, he was getting really close. I yawned, playing with my spanner set.

"You look tired."

I looked up, and smiled. "Just bored." Bentley had just woken up, and yawned himself.

"Where is everyone?"

"Out."

"Then I do believe I can fix your boredom." He said with a smile. He lifted himself out of his chair, using his arms, placing himself on the edge of the couch. I smiled, getting up off the couch.

Bentley was really self-conscious. When ever he would even so much as look at me, the gang would make fun of him. It got on our last nerves, but Bentley hated being the center of attention, so he would just work on the plans, kinda avoiding me in the process. But with the entire gang was out doing who knows what, so it left us together. I too a step towards him, and he grabbed me, pulling me on to him lap. He wrapped his green arms around me while I laid my head on his shell. With my left hand, I started to play with his bowtie. He smiled, putting his head on top of mine. Out of everything we did as a couple the past seven weeks, snuggling was his favorite.

We just laid there awhile, just talking about the most random of things. We talked a lot too. The gang always would overhear us and listen, trying to figure out what the hell we were saying. The only time he felt okay with himself and being with me, no matter how many jokes the gang would say, was when he was talking. Eventually, he fell into a deep sleep. It was just nice there on his lap, my head on his chest, listening to the echo of his heart beat from inside his shell. I eventually feel asleep as well, until Sly and Murray came back that is.

"So cute!" Murray practically yelled, and Sly shushed him. "Sorry. Should we go back to the arcade?" He said more in a whisper this time.

"Hey, this is our safe house too, remember. Besides, we could have a bit of fun." The two started rummaging around. "Found it. How do you think Penelope would feel is she woke up to Bentley with a mustache."

"Nah Sly, use a pink marker instead of a black one." They both chuckled. They started to creep up next to us. It was surprising how loud a Master Thief was when he was messing with his friend. Of course, they were used to messing with a deep sleeper.

"He may be a heavy sleeper, but I wake up when a door slams 5 blocks away." I opened my eyes finally, glaring at them, a smile on my face. They stopped in their tracks, and the three of us busted out laughing, Bentley still fast asleep.

**......................**

**September 1, 2004  
****Kapaau, Hawaii  
****3:01 AM**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SLY!!!!" All of the Gang yelled, dumping a bucket of ice water on the birthday boy. Apparently, ever since Sly yelled fire in the middle of the night and got Bentley to jump out a window on his 9th birthday, the three of them went back and forth pulling pranks on one another's birthday. This year, Sly woke up dripping wet, staring right at Panda King, who we managed to get him right in Sly's face once he woke up. Sly's face was priceless, seeing Panda King's face right by his snout.

"Oh boy...thanks guys." he said sourly: His fur matted and he was shivering He took a quick shower before coming to get his cake. Dimitri blared loud, obscene music, until Murray _accidentally_ knocked the radio over and stepped on it. It was a lot of fun. Sly, Murray, and Bentley kept going back and forth on things they had done in the past. It was funny to hear it, since this was the first birthday surprise the other four of us saw.

"So Sly, how does it feel being 25?" Bentley asked.

"I will kill you." He replied, still sour about what happen. "So which one decided to do this? I thought we stopped these childish games."

"Really?" Me, Panda King, the Guru and Dimitri said at once. The other three looked down. Murray was the first to answer.

"We haven't done it since my 22nd birthday. Sly was already 21 and Bentley was going to be 21 in about a month, but something happened."

"What happen, bro?" Dimitri asked.

"My 21st birthday was spent in a battery that was flying from Canada to Paris." We were all pretty confused at what Bentley was saying.

"Oh...that was how your sweet badness defeated the KLAWW gang and that freaky chic, Clock-La." Dimitri said finally realizing what he was saying.

"Yeah...we spent all day in the shell of this huge battery, then that night, I...uh...." he looked down at his legs, we all realized what he meant.

"It happen on your 21st birthday?" I said in shock. Thinking about it, I wasn't surprised they stopped playing pranks on each other. Him losing his legs kind of sounded like a prank gone wrong.

"It happen a long time ago....and anyway, I wanted to get Sly back for making fun of me the past few weeks." He said smirking at Sly.

"Ha-ha. I think I will just have to wait for your birthdays," he said glaring at his two brothers.

"Murray, yours is only 4 months away, and Bentley, your so dead on February 2nd". he said with a smile. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to follow through on his threat, and the birthday pranks disappeared yet again.

**.................................**

**September 2, 2004  
****Kapaau, Hawaii  
****7:31 PM**

I was sitting on the roof of the safe house. We had the top floor of an apartment, so it was easy to swing onto the fire escape and reach the roof. The window I used to get onto the fire escape was in the kitchen, which was left open so I could get back in with no troubles. Then I heard yelling.

I looked on the road, seeing if something was going on. It sounded like three men just arguing at one another. Then I realized, it was coming from the safe house. I had never heard them yell, besides Murray when he was beating people up or when Bentley got really frustrated. But this sounded like Murray, Sly and Bentley were going to kill each other. It was hard to make out what they were saying, you could only make out that harsh words were being said. Then I heard sounds of people being hit and grunting. I looked over the side, preparing myself to go in, when Sly popped out of nowhere, using his cane to get onto the roof.

He was as surprised as me, and started falling backwards. I grabbed his arm and pulled him on to the roof. "Are you ok, Sly?"

"Fine." he said bitterly. Looking at me he shook his head, and softened his tone. "What you doing up here anyway?"

"The sunset is beautiful in Hawaii. We are in the perfect spot so it sets on the ocean." Smiling and looking at it again. I was kinda afraid to ask what happened.

He stood up and looked at the sunset as well, and then turned suddenly and grabbed my and stared into my eyes. He was a bit taller then me, and he couched down to get to eye level. "Do you love him?" I looked at him confused. He repeated. "Do you love Bentley with all your heart?!" He said with such a tone, it sent shivers down my back.

"Of...of course." I stuttered.

"Enough, let's say, to stop flying planes if he asked?"

It was back to that question. Why always that question. But he had never said anything about me flying planes. Why now? "What, since when does he not want me to fly?"

"He doesn't. But you love it. If you had to, would you give it up?" He said, shaking me a little.

"If I had to, yes. If he asked, or demanded me, then, I don't know." Sly sighed, let go off me and went over to the side of the building. I went to join him. "What were you three fighting about?"

"I fell in love with a cop." He said, turning to look at me. "I can't ask her to quit, but I can't just stop this. I am just confused." He put he head down.

"What does that have to do with arguing with those two though?" I needed to know what was going on. Why was he so paranoid about this, and why would Murray and Bentley yell like that about it. It wasn't like they didn't know.

"We argued about a lot. Bentley finished the Cooper Vault plans, and he is sure they are safe to use..." he said bitterly.

"That's great! But why are you depressed about it."

"Well, Bentley is afraid to lose you. Saying he finally found someone he loved, and you were going to disappear. He was so paranoid, but at least he had someone, while I am by myself. I was annoyed by him and started yelling at him saying all sorts of nasty things at him. And the Murray joined in, trying to get us to stop yelling about this. Then we turned and told him he had no right to part of this, and that he never had anyone that he really cared about like us. Just another thing he wouldn't understand, was what Bentley said. Then Murray started yelling at him that at least he didn't need a bunch of toys to need to feel important. Then he turned to me saying that all I ever worried about was the Cooper vault, not Carmelita. It all went down hill from there. We yelled at each other, each taking the other's deepest concerns and making fun of them. Then we started yelling about my parents not being strong enough to protect themselves, and that was just going to happen to me and any girl I end up with. Then I yelled at Bentley at least my family would be proud, and Murray added to Bentley that his family already knew what a screw-up he was going to be and ditch him on the steps of the nearest orphanage. Then Bentley yelled to Murray that at least his parents didn't drive off a cliff to get away from him. We started throwing some punches and then I left." He stopped for a moment, tears streaming down his eyes.

"Oh, Sly..." I put my arm around him, and he started sobbing. I knew all three of them didn't mean what they said, or what they did. They were all stressed. Everything was changing for them. I started to notice one of Sly's eye was getting really red. He was going to have a really nice bruise on his face.

"I put both of them through so much. You know, Bentley didn't even want to join. We meet and I came up for nicknames for them. Murray liked his. He said anything was better then Thomas Murphy. But Bentley hated it. He wanted to be called Benjamin, and when I called him Bentley, he would call me Alfred. He only joined the gang to keep Murray safe. If I didn't make Murray join....Bentley would be somewhere, walking, creating amazing inventions to help the world. Also, you two were meant to be with each other, so you would have meet up at sometime." he started crying harder.

"Sly, you know Bentley better then anything. If he doesn't want to do something, he doesn't. He's different then you and Murray, saying he doesn't like something, but he really loves and care about it a lot." I said, rubbing his back. "Look what he did when he liked me." Sly laughed, but it was kind of a sad laugh. "You three are pretty much brothers. Yes there will be hard times, but the three of you will pull through it. I'm surprised you haven't beaten up each other before."

"What?" He looked up at me, somewhat confused.

"You were guys living as thieves. You all have your own problems, but refuse to talk about them. Your worried about living up to your family's legacy and finding true love with someone that lives differently from you. Murray feels he isn't smart enough to be on the team. He also doesn't have someone that he cares about that is...well...female. And Bentley lives his day, happy in a chair, but couldn't talk to you or Murray about the small things he misses without upsetting you guys. And before the accident, he felt that he wasn't strong enough to be on the team, and still lives with those feelings. And you all have your own family problems, which are way to complex to explain." I sat there with him for awhile. He was the kind of guy that just needed to hear everything straight forward, and think about it. He would stay on the roof all night just thinking. "I'm going to check on the other two, ok?" he nodded.

I went down the fire escape into the kitchen. I look for Bentley and Murray, but I didn't see them. Panda King and the Guru had seeken refuge in the bedroom they shared, since getting to the door meant passing the fight and getting involved. Apparently I was the only one crazy enough to do it. They told me the other two had left as well.

As I walked out side, I saw Murray, angrily working on his van. I touched his shoulder, saying his name, and would have got my head taken off with one of his punches if I hadn't dodged it. He looked at me, and started to sob. It was a good thing I had talked to Sly first, because Murray was making no sense as he spoke. I was wrapped in his bear hug, just letting him cry on me. He was the type of guy that would want to hit something and then just cry when something like this happen. I was pretty sure he was the one that had started the actually fighting part of the fight. After about 15 minutes, he calmed down. "Thanks Penelope." he said wiping his nose.

"You might want to put back the van together and get inside. It is going to be cold tonight." I smiled at him. Once he got inside, he is most likely to mediate with the Guru and Panda King, I thought. "Any chance you see where Bentley went?" he shook his head, looking slightly horrified he didn't know where his best friend was. I hoped into the van as quick as I could to get the GPS location of Bentley's wheelchair to keep Murray from sobbing again. "He's down at the beach, Murray. I'll be back with him soon, ok?" I said with a smile.

"How come I'm pissed off at both of them, yet worry about them?" Murray asked with a sob.

"It's what people do. Families and friends always fight, but we still don't want anything bad to happen to the person were mad at."

"That makes no sense."

"Were you ever mad at your parents, Murray?"

"Yeah, I guess I remember a few times. I had torn apart a book, and my mom put me in time-out."

"You were mad at her, but you would never want anything bad to happen to her. There is this little space in our mind that knows, eventually I will forgive them, and they will forgive me."

"I kinda get it. You sure are smart, Penelope." A strike of thunder came out of nowhere. It was really dark out now, and Bentley was still by himself. "Oh man! The van is all not working. We can't go get him with the van."

"Sorry, Murray. People get over things in different ways. It might be best if you don't come." He nodded.

"Be safe, and bring him back so I can punch him again." He said it with a smile, punching his hand. I smiled, shaking my head.

"Sly is on the roof, just let him be until he comes in, ok?" He nodded at I ran off to find my guy.

It started raining big time when I finally got to the beach 15 minutes later. Since it was raining so hard, it would be impossible to haul a cab, so I ran. I finally saw him, the one person still left looking at the tower. While Sly would go jump on roofs, and Murray would go do hard labor, Bentley rather just sit and analyze the problem at hand. I took a seat on in the sand next to him, and we just stared at the ocean for what seemed like hours. "I guess you talked to the other two?" was all he said when he came out of his trance. As we talked, we didn't look at each other, we just stared out.

"Mhm."

"I'm a horrible friend."

"No, you are not."

"I'm a horrible boyfriend."

"You defiantly are not."

"I said such mean things."

"Yes, you did."

"Where are you going after the gig?" He asked, after another few minutes of silence.

"I dunno. I'm sure Canada so I can show my boyfriend off. After that, where ever you want to go."

"Why?"

"Because I loke you...a lot."

"What about Antarctica?"

"I'll buy a parka."

"Jamaica?"

"I'll buy sun block for me and your big bald head."

"I'm a crippled."

"Really?"

"I might not be able to have children."

"The two of us having a child might not be the best idea. It would be smart enough to take over the world...when it's three."

He finally took he's eyes off the tower, and looked at me. He was drenched in rain, but I could still tell he was crying. He fingered with a necklace around his neck. It was a gold chain with a green guitar pick on it. He took it off, and just looked at it for awhile. "When me and Sly were 12, and Murray was 13, the person who took care of us, Miss. Megan, gave us these. They were so cool, and we loved them. Murray's was pink, and Sly's was blue. It was how we come up with our costume colors. She was a bit odd, instead of giving us...uh...protection, she gave us these. She told us we were going to meet a lot of pretty girls. And before doing anything that could be life changing, look at her and give her the necklace. If we were ready to give up something we loved for a girl, then she wasn't all that bad. Sly gave his away when he was 15 to some girl under the school bleachers. Murray had this really nice and sweet girlfriend when he was 17, and gave it to her. I never had anyone, but I'm not ready to do anything more drastic then cuddling, but if you were to...uh....live with me?" When he said the last three words, my heart almost popped out of my chest. I took the necklace from him and put it on, knowing he was way to shocked to help me put it on. I sat up and laid a crossed his lap, and we kissed, just sitting there in the rain.

**............................**

**September 8, 2004  
****Kaine Island  
****1:03 AM**

After the long few days, getting the ship sailed down to Kaine Island, we were ready. All of Bentley's planning, and the training of the rest of us, we were ready to break into the Cooper Vault. Of course everyone was more then happy, and the three main guys were best friends again.

After me and Bentley had made our way back to the safe house, somehow, Bentley rolled through the front door in front of me as Sly came through the window, and Murray came out from meditating in the bedroom at the same time.

Once they say each other all hell broke lose. Sly broke down on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness. Bentley started over and over again, so fast that only a dog could hear him, saying that it was all his fault, and Murray couldn't stop sobbing. Within minutes, the three were bear hugging each other on the floor. Then of course Dimitri came back, making a comment how gay they were. I just stood and watched it unfold, feeling my new necklace under my shirt.

Back on the boat, we all stood there for a minute, getting ready to get into our positions, we all felt that something was going to happen. We weren't just sure what though.

_________________________

Hope you enjoyed...last chapter will be coming out either tonight or tomorrow.....

Remember, thz to all my reviewers....

-slylady345

-Jammin Jabala

-Penguins Are Teh POWER

-The Good Thief


	21. Chapter 21

So I'm writing up on the top...didn't want to ruin the ending with my talking...

Hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I did writing.....

A new story most of you already know about is in the works. My favorite character is getting his own Life and Times.....guess who?

Also...remember that music really sets a tone....

____________________________

**January, 3, 2005  
****New York City, New York, USA  
****7:23 PM**

I was reading "The Color Purple" while Bentley was surrounding himself in all sorts of tools. About a month ago, he finally started the construction of the Mighty Time Machine. So far no luck. A sigh came from him, before he hitting his head on the table, and keeping it there. "I give up. It doesn't want to get finished!" He said, loud enough so he would be heard over the wooden table he was talking to.

I went up behind him and wrapped him in a hug. "You just need to put more time into it." I laughed. He picked his head up and started fiddling with it some more.

"Its not that. One of the tools I need aren't here." He kept fiddling with it. "I'm going to need to go to the Paris safe house...." Suddenly there was this huge flash of light. We were floating for only milliseconds, and then landed with a thud on a wooden floor. My face, which burrowed itself into Bentley neck, lifted up at the same time Bentley unclenched his eyelids.

We were in the Paris safe house. A bit dusty for not being used in awhile, but still the Paris safe house. "What the..."

We looked at each other, and I ran outside to buy a paper. Unfortunately, we didn't go through time. We just teleported somehow. He tried it again, "Paris safe house, January 3, 2003!" And we stayed right where we were. He grabbed it again and said, "New York safe house, January 2, 2005!" And he was gone.

I was in Paris by myself. I looked around, scared to be by myself, not sure where he was.

Then he reappeared, grabbed my hand, and said "New York safe house!" and another flash of light and we were home. Only 18 minutes passed since the last time we were here. Enough time to grab a paper, and find out it wasn't quite right.

"Coolest accident ever," I said smiling at him, kissing him on his cheek. He tried looking happy, but I knew he was mad that he didn't know how to create a Time Machine.

**.........................**

After a few days, I was able to compact the transportation device so it wasn't the size of a basketball anymore. It looked more like a cell phone. I programmed it so it could call people, as well as and take you anywhere you wanted to go. There were only two problems; One, that it only took you to some place that you had been before. But of course for me and Bentley, who had been everywhere, it wasn't much of a problem. Two, as long as you were touching someone, they would go with you, but if you weren't, the person didn't go with you.

After two weeks, I had enough of these "cell phones" to give to everyone in the gang, and some of the guys on Team Canada. Of course there were precautions. The "cell phone" would take you anywhere you wanted to go, even right in front of people and cameras, and we didn't want to scare people or want them to think everyone would be getting one of these. The world just was not ready for such things. Bentley and Murray were more then willing to let people transport to the safe houses all over the world, so I programmed them into the phone. Even if they never been to the safe house, all they had to do was look up the right place in the phone contacts. I could do it by placing this rod, that worked like an antenna, in all the safe houses so people could get there.

**.................................**

**January 28, 2006  
****New York City, New York  
****9:46 PM**

He was typing on his computer like a mad man. He had been on Thiefnet all day, saying he was trying to locate a piece he would need for the Time Machine. His eyes were starting to get blood shot, when he started yelling for joy. I was about to ask if he found it when he looked at me "Want to be my date this Thursday night?"

I smiled. I placed the book down that I was reading, and fell into his lap. A quick glance at the computer screen told me he finally found a buyer. "I would love to Mr. Key. Where might we be going for your birthday?" His face dropped.

"I have wasted over a year on this damn thing?!" His eyes staring right at me.

"You haven't wasted it. It's just...ironic." I reasoned, knowing anything I said would go right over his head. He was disappointed and angry with himself.

He looked at his machine again. And then turned to me again, clearly upset but still had a mischievous smile. "Think Dimitri would mind if we asked him to dress us up?"

"Mind? He would love to."

**..............................**

**February 2, 2006  
****Rome, Italy  
****9:23 PM**

We poofed--Murray came up with the name for it--into a safe house in Rome, Italy, and started going over the plan. Tonight, Dimitri was himself, and I was his girlfriend, Angel Dramo. Dimitri really went to work when he found out that we were going to a club. It was his type of "greasy sweet style". Unfortunately, the club Bentley and I needed to get in was very prestigious and known all around the world. To get in, I was going to have to go with Dimitri, who was go friends with the manager. Dimitri, always ready for a party, only worried about getting me ready with looks, style, and all-around knowledge. Unfortunately, with all the guards surrounding the club, Bentley would have to stay a mile away, in the safe house. Me and Dimitri would be by ourselves. Me and Bentley weren't too sure about it, but Dimitri promised to keep me safe and get the little do-hicky. "Nothing" could go wrong with Dimitri Lousteau around.

When I wasn't looking, he snipped my hair, making it about only shoulder length. I was about to kill Dimitri, when he said that 'shorter hair was the hot style right now, and you wanted to help Bentley right' in his strange language. It was then I was given this skimpy, tight, strapless black dress and 4 inch high heels. When I wore it, I was glad I had been working out lately and sparing with Ted and the other guys thanks to the "poof". It would not have looked to good if I haven't. I would also have to go with no purse, since it was the fashion, or have any mean of hiding anything, meaning Dimitri had the only poof or other gadgets. And along with everything, I had to wear my contacts, seeing my glasses are so 1923. It took a lot of convincing from Bentley to get me to wear it and deal with Dimitri, while Dimitri was in the background trying to get me into his pants. If there where anymore guys like Dimitri there, I was going to end up a murderer. And I was pretty sure Bentley would help me, after seeing the death glare he gave Dimitri

"Saltellare Qua e Là" was very busy that night, but Dimitri and I were shown right in. Apparently, he was really good friends with the manager, who was more then happy to let Dimitri in. "Just remember Penelope, get the item, and leave. You don't need to stay long with that idiot." I laughed as Dimitri scowled. Bentley had "forgotten" to turn off Dimitri's microphone when he said it too me.

"Just remember bro, I got your lady, and your little toy." We walked around, and I received quite a few catcalls. I don't even remember walking around like this all the time, and not wanting to kill every guy. Dimitri, who was getting quite over protective surprisingly, pulled me in closer to him, glaring at any guy who said anything. Everyone knew Dimitri Lousteau, and wouldn't dare mess with any girl he was with. I would have liked to have been with Bentley, but I felt much safer in this type of environment with Dimitri.

We were walked into the V.I.P. lounge, where the men were waiting. I looked at them, and they all seemed pretty scary, but nothing that I couldn't handle, I reminded myself. Keep a calm mind and we will do fine.

"Your Dimitri Lousteau, what you want?" The one seated surrounded by girls asked. A large elephant, with his bodyguards standing behind him and his ladies.

"Short and sweet, you seem to have a package my friend wants, Remy. Comprendo?"

"I know all a lot of people, Dimitri. What might your friend want?"

Dimitri look at me. I looked at Remy and said in my best Italian accent, "A cooper turbine that can hold 14,590 watts of energy."

"My, my. That item is a bit....pricey. What are you willing to give for it?" He said, turning to Dimitri.

"$30,000."

"Deal." I took a lot for my jaw not to drop to the floor. That turbine was easily worth millions.

"Greasy sweet. Where do you want to take care of this business, bro?"

"Right here will be fine. Ladies, if you would mind going and dancing with the other men. Thank you." The girls got up, disappointed to be leaving. "Have a seat, Dimitri. You too Miss...."

"Miss. Angel Dramo." I replied, in my fake Italian accent.

"Ahh...beautiful name." The way he stared at me was really starting to scare me, but I kept my cool for Bentley. The gentleman reached for a laptop from one of his bodyguards, handing it to me so I could deposit the money. Bentley had already make an account with exactly 30,000 in it, so they wouldn't be able to track us or steal more.

Dimitri spoke up, "Now where might that sweet item be. It would be nice to see it before handing the loot over."

"Calm down. It is right here." Remy said, taking the small orange turbine from the guard, placing it on the table. Dimitri grabbed it so I could look it over. Bentley had hacked into the security feed to be able to see it as well.

"It looks right from here, Penelope." I heard in my ear. The pictures he had shown me looked exactly like this small turbine.

"This is perfect. Thank you." I said finishing the transaction, passing the laptop back.

"Such a pretty face. To bad I need to do this." The bodyguards stood around us in a flash, concealed guns pointed at us. Remy and his men lead us to an alleyway outside. "Did you really think I was that gullible. That turbine is worth well over 30 grand." He laughed, pointing a gun at me. Bentley wouldn't stop screaming in my ear. Dimitri frozen in fear, knowing he was going to die.

I was tired of being the damsel in distress. Being held at gun point or at the tip of a sword. Or even in the claws of a dragon or blinded. Not being smart enough or strong enough. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed onto the gun Remy was waving in my face, twisting his arm, and I kneed him in the face then throwing him into two other guards. It was hard to move in the dress, but with no straps, my arms were free to punch and grab as much as they wanted. Within a minute, Remy and his six bodyguards laid in a heap, unconscious, while Dimitri stood there, looking like he was going to start crying. I throw off my heels, grabbed the turbine and Dimitri, and we ran out of the alley, and I grabbed Dimitri's poof, and we were back in the safe house. On one of the many computer screens, it showed the alley with the heap of men. Bentley had seen the entire thing, and I was pretty sure he still wasn't breathing.

**......................**

After the whole ordeal, the video was shown to Murray and the guys from Team Canada. They stood speechless as they watched. They all knew I could do something like that in training, but during the real deal, they knew I always froze up. The only times I didn't was with my Black Baron costume, and fighting Lefwee. After the video, Team Canada went ballistic, saying all my training paid off, which confused Murray, Bentley, and Dimitri. Then I had to explain that early in the morning, I would go out and train. Murray thought it was awesome, and really wanted to fight me sometime, meaning right now. Dimitri was still in shock that he was really going to get killed in one of his favorite clubs.

As for Bentley, he felt horrible that he didn't know I had been doing it for the past 5 months.

**..............................**

_(This is the last part of my story, that was always meant to be the ending, and hasn't changed one bit since I started thinking of this story 2 weeks ago. I demand that you listen to "You and Me" by Lifehouse when listening!!!)_

**February 4, 2006  
****New York City, New York, USA  
****9:23 PM**

I walked into the flower store. I was really allergic, but I had to find something. I brought Murray with me help me get out fast.. "Ok, remember that we are looking for the flower on Penelope's RC car. It is pink with an orange center. Got it?"

"For the thousandth time, Rodger Ben." I then sneezed. And then again. And again.

"Excuse me sir, can I help you find the flower you are looking for?" The weasel asked, trying to get me out as fast as he could before I ruined all his flowers.

I blew my nose. "Uh...I am looking for a pink flower with an orange center."

"Ahh, a very nice taste, sir." The man replied. So far, I really hated this guy. He was probably only being nice because this flower was expensive. I laughed a bit. I would never think of Penelope liking something expensive. She always seemed happy with the beauty of something free, like a sunset. The man lead me to the back of the store, and Murray come over to look. "These are Royal Hawaiian. Much more pretty closed up, I believe." The closed ones looked like tulips, the pedals a beautiful shade of dark pink with bright pink tips at the end of each one. But I was always hated tulips. They made me sneeze. A lot.

But the few open ones were the bright pink color, with the orange center looked like daisies. They were really pretty, in their own way, I guess. I smiled and picked one of the open ones. "One of these, please."

"Just one, sir?" the weasel replied, looking rather disappointed.

"Yes."

**.......................**

Me and Murray left the store, after spending about $70 dollars on one flower. "Remind me to never go shopping with you again, Ben. You are just way to picky." Murray said laughing. It was true, we had stopped at more then 10 stores, looking for the right flower.

"Thanks again, Tom." I wheeled back to the apartment, following Murray as he broke apart the crowd. As we made it to the apartment, I got Murray to help me put the flower in the vase with water. "So Murray," using his nickname, now we weren't around people anymore, "I haven't gotten to talk to you lately. Meet any girls lately?" As I looked at him, he started turning a brighter pink then the flower.

"Well, ummm...no." He stumbled.

"Well, what about the numerous plane tickets to China?" I asked with a knowing grin. For the past few days, I put the time machine aside to work on other things such as check up on my friends. Plane flights to Hong Kong filled Murray's Visa bill.

"Well...uh...Penelope is...umm...coming back soon. See ya Bentley!" And he poofed before I could get anymore information. I smiled to myself. All three of us seemed to have fallen head over heels in love. I was curious about why he was hiding her, but I had someone much more important on my mind.

Then I heard Penelope poof into the next room. It was getting dark, so she turned on a lamp, and sat in a chair, reading a book bigger then her. Her tail flicked through the pair of sweatpants and long sleeve shirt she wore. Her ears bent just perfectly, giving her the most lovely face. Strands of her newly short hair hung in her face. It was funny thinking that just two nights ago, she beat up 7 guys with guns and was now reading peacefully.

I wheeled out to her, the vase hidden by my chair on the left side, she looked up and smiled putting down the book. "Hey, what are you hiding?" She tried to peek, but I moved my chair so she didn't see.

"I was thinking the other night. I have spent a grand total of 14 straight months working on the Time Machine. In the process, I have seemed to almost get you killed multiple times." I didn't notice when she felt she was worthless and depressed, almost lost her in Paris, and almost got her looking like Swiss cheese in Rome. "I'm sorry for you having to put up with me." I smiled and she did to. We looked at each other for a moment, but she really wanted to know what I had.

"So?" she said, trying to get a peek.

"Well, this is me trying to make up for ignoring the single greatest person in my life for more then a year." I pulled out the flower. I imagined her happy and her curling up in my lap. We would kiss, and possible find a good book to read together.

Instead, she seemed upset.

"Why?" tear started to form behind her glasses. I wasn't sure what I did wrong.

"It was...uh your RC car...so I though you liked them..." I tried to make things better, yet all I managed was to make her cry. "I'll get rid of it if you don't like them. I'm sorry..."

She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. "Aren't the closed-up ones nicer? The bright orange clashes with the bright pink, and when they open this pollen comes out making people feel sick." Something was off with her speech pattern. She had to have liked the flower; it was on her car! What was I missing? So I did what I always do when I wasn't sure what was going on. I talked out loud to myself until I figured it out.

"The closed up ones were nice and everything, but I like this one better. I'm deathly allergic to tulips, and I always loved daisies. And the pollen doesn't bother me, which is strange since I'm allergic to almost all flowers." I said, looking at the flower the entire time, not wanting to see her cry. What am I missing?

She moved in her seat, tears still flowing, and started speaking in not more then a whisper. "When I was younger, a man asked me to marry him. My brother talked me out of it, since the man wanted me to stop playing with my RC cars and stop fixing things. My brother said I should be happy who I was, and not change. He used this flower as an example. Most people liked the flower closed up, and even genetically modified it to make it stay closed. But once in awhile, the flower went against what it was programmed to do, and bloomed. People I was surrounded around like me for how I looked and always dressed me up, including my mother. They hated to see me do something smart. They wanted my to play dumb, and be happy that way. When I talked about it with my boyfriend, he made fun of the flower, and tried to close it up....Then I ran. He was supposed to be my 'true love' yet he hated my true self."

"Penelope Partone." I said to myself, which of course mean I said it aloud. Her eyes got huge, staring right at me, total confusion. "It was the summer right after me and the gang finished High School, and we started our first big time gig. We were on our way to find Muggshot, and his part of the Thievious Racoonus. We passed through New York State when the big news of a mouse--spoiled, rich, ditsy--heiress ran away after getting engaged. We had made a lot of fun of her, that someone that gorgeous and rich, running away. The weirdest part was the papers had everyone she knew saying that she was kidnapped, even when the girl had written letters saying 'I'm running away'. The only one that spoke up against it was her brother, who said she would do fine for herself. We all laughed, looking at the picture of the girl that seemed that the only problems she ever faced in life was what to wear and what to do when a nail chipped. She would be dead in a week, we thought...that was you wasn't it. You ran away to Canada because they wanted you to be someone you weren't."

She sat still in the chair, tears still running down her face. Unfortunately, I was right...again. She put her head to her hands, crying more then ever. I moved my chair, and picked her up putting her into my lap. She wrapped her arms around my neck, crying on my shell. I pulled off her glasses, placing them on the table beside us. I took the flower out of the vase, and put the vase along with the glasses.

"I like it a lot better when the flower is opened up. When it closes up, refusing to show its really beauty, it is pretty and everyone likes it. But the bright colors don't clash; they work in a perfect harmony, which only few people realize as its true beauty and they love it." She looked up at me, and I placed the flower in her tiny ponytail. She hated when Dimitri had cut it, but I thought she looked cute in it.

"Bentley....thank you." We just looked at each other, not moving. Not talking. I didn't want to move my eyes away from anything so original and smart. So strong yet had a soft face. So caring about my friends yet would kick their ass in a second if they bad mouthed her....

......so perfect

.......and know I know why I can't keep my eyes off of you...


End file.
